March 2013

SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2013

RISEN IS THE REASON

"I AM the first and the last: I AM HE THAT LIVES, and was dead; and, behold, I AM ALIVE FOREVERMORE... and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:17-18). "WHOEVER DRINKS of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM shall be in him A WELL OF WATER SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING LIFE (John 4:14).

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And LET HIM THAT IS THIRSTY COME. AndWHOSOEVER WILL, LET HIM TAKE THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY" (Revelation 22:17).

WHY do we believe in Jesus?

WHY do we believe He's THE ONLY Savior?

WHY do we believe in His Deity?

WHY do we believe He's about to APPEAR and Rapture His Church?

WHY do we believe HE WILL RETURN TO EARTH AND ESTABLISH HIS EARTHLY KINGDOM?

WHY do we KNOW HIM personally and intimately?

WHY SHOULD EVERYONE BREATHING RECEIVE HIM INTO HIS OR HER HEART AS GOD AND SAVIOR?

Because He IS RISEN!

Because OUR Jesus OVERCAME sin and death.

Because OUR Jesus DEFEATED and kicked the living daylights out of Satan.

Because OUR Jesus even took THE KEYS of death and hell AWAY from the creep.

Because OUR Jesus is ABUNDANT and ETERNAL LIFE.

Because OUR Jesus LOVES YOU!

He LOVES YOU... TOTALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY.

He NOT ANGRY at you, no matter WHAT you may have done.

He will RECEIVE YOU WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN.

Because MY Jesus OFFERS YOU ETERNAL Salvation and HIS OWNRIGHTEOUSNESS... FOR FREE!!!

The MULTIPLE founders of Hinduism - so-called Vedas -- along with their multiple gods and goddesses (DEMONS), ARE DEAD and bound for the lake of fire.

Our Jesus IS ALIVE.

ALL INVENTED, IMAGINARY "deities" are remote, INVISIBLE and inaccessible.

Why? Because THEY DON'T EXIST.

That's WHY they CANNOT SHOW THEMSELVES.

Jesus, THE TRUE GOD, came in HUMAN FORM so that ALL COULD SEE HIM.

And Jesus will LIVE IN YOU. He will give you HIS VERY LIFE, if you receive Him INTO YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW.

All imaginary "deities" must be REGULARLY placated.

NONE OF THEM OFFERS a PERMANENT SOLUTION to the sin problem that has plagued mankind for SIX MILLENNIA OR LONGER.

ONLY JESUS DOES.

ONLY JESUS OFFERS A PERSONAL, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP.

ONLY JESUS DESTROYED AND TOOK AWAY SIN - ONCE AND FOR ALL! (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:26)

ONLY JESUS OFFERS FREE FORGIVENESS.

False deities DEMAND that YOU give your life FOR THEM.

ONLY JESUS LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO GIVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU.

WHAT, in heaven's name, are you doing drinking polluted water from religion's STAGNANT CISTERNSwhen you can drink PURE, CRYSTAL-CLEAR, ETERNALLY SATISFYING, LIVING WATER? (Revelation 22:1).

Go ahead, HAVE A DRINK.

It's "on the House".

WHY do we ADORE Jesus?

Because He is LOVELIER than human words can express.

Because He IS WORTHY OF our UNRESTRAINED, spontaneous and endless LOVE.

And BECAUSE HE IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE.

THE REASON we believe in Jesus is BECAUSE HE IS RISEN:

"I AM the resurrection, and the life: HE THAT BELIEVES IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE:

And WHOEVER LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER DIE" (John 11:25-26).

NO ONE ELSE, in all the eons of time, has THUS SPOKEN.

NO ONE ELSE HAS EVER GIVEN SUCH AWESOME GUARANTEE.

You can settle for a FAKE, MEDIOCRE, DEAD, "god" or "goddess" or you can KNOW, EXPERIENCE AND BECOME PART OFTHE REAL, LIVING GOD.

WHY do we believe in Jesus?

Because He is THE LIFE. (John 14:6)

BECAUSE HE IS RISEN, and there's NO DEATH in Him.

"RISEN" IS "THE REASON" we believe in THE ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR.

WHO ELSE, IN ALL OF HISTORY, CAN SAY THE SAME?

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2013

THE REAL CALVARY

It's hard to believe that in a city as tiny as first century Jerusalem, there are not one, not two, but THREE locations purported to be the "real" Calvary.

The best known of the three is situated inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher whose ownership, in and of itself, is in dispute among several denominations, The RCC, the Greek Orthodox, the Oriental Orthodox, the Anglican, and even some secular entities.

No offense to any of the aforementioned brethren but, as far as I'm concerned, THEY CAN HAVE IT.

There's the location known as Gordon's Calvary, just northwest of the Damascus Gate.

And a third candidate's been recently added on the Mount of Olives.

I get a bit miffed when I hear Christians state, in religiously correct fashion, that "we don't know for sure" what the correct location is.

We do if we study the Scriptures.

Obviously, the most important thing, regardless of which is the correct location, is WHAT TOOK PLACE at Golgotha: Jesus died for our sins, and He rose from the dead three days and nights later.

However, Golgotha being THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE ON EARTH, the place where man's eternal destiny was decided, the place WHERE GOD'S OWN BLOOD WAS SHED, it's hard to believe that our Lord would NOT give us clear indication of where He died.

Here's what we know from the Bible about the place of the crucifixion:

We know that, of the 12, John was the ONLY disciple PRESENT at the Crucifixion.

So Matthew or Mark, WHO WERE NOT AT CALVARY, may have had some privileged access where they got to see the veil. Or they may have been told about it afterwards by those who served in the temple, or simply recorded it by Divine inspiration. To base the location on that detail ALONE is simply ridiculous.

Which takes us to the Holy Sepulcher: It's hard to associate this place with Calvary for several reasons.

For one thing, the inside is so ornate that THE DECORATIONS compete with any actual historic value the site may have.

There's NOTHING visible that one would associate with the Golgotha described in the Gospels.

Religious hierarchy and some archaeologists CLAIM it is built on a hill, and that under the hill there were A NUMBER OF rock-cut graves, dating to the first century, indicating it was a COMMON burial place.

If you've read the Gospels, several red flags should have gone up:

There's NOTHING in the Bible that says Jesus would be buried in a COMMON burial place. More than one Scripture clearly says He was buried in A RICH MAN'S GRAVE [Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:43]. Therefore, THAT CONTRADICTS Scripture.

There's NOTHING IN THE GOSPELS that says the tomb was UNDERNEATH the place of crucifixion. It clearly says it was ADJACENT (next to) it.

There's NOTHING THERE that resembles A SKULL.

There's NO GARDEN, or any evidence of a garden nearby. Nor is this location on Mount Moriah.

Frankly, ALL the Holy Sepulcher has going for it is RELIGIOUS TRADITION (Mark 7:13).

As for those who would say that Israeli archaeologists tend to support the Holy Sepulcher location... Give me a break!

Tourism is HUGE in Israel. It's approximately 8% of the nation's GDP and represents over $15 BILLION yearly in revenue for that tiny nation. Do you really expect GOVERNMENT LICENSED archaeologists to publicly admit to the world's 1.2 BILLION Catholics "hey, guys, the place you consider holiest AND VISIT IN DROVES each year IS FAKE?

Thank God for Gordon's Calvary, which IS THE REAL CALVARY, AND FITS THE BIBLE DESCRIPTION IN EACH AND EVERY DETAIL: 1. It's located "near the city", just outside the wall [John 19:20]

2. It's ADJACENT TO a garden [John 19:41].

3. The adjacent garden belonged to a rich man, as evidenced by the fact it had a winepress, and a HUGE underground cistern to accumulate water during rainy seasons for use during a drought [Matthew 27:57-60]

4. The TOMB was NEW, and no corpse had been placed there [Luke 23:53]. We know this because part of the tomb is clearly unfinished, and because the place where Jesus was laid had to be modified in a hurry and ENLARGED to accommodate Jesus' height.

5. This tomb is cut [chiseled] out of solid rock, and the chisel marks are still clearly visible [Matthew 27:60].

6. The body of the deceased was placed ON THE RIGHT SIDE of the tomb, just as Mark describes [Mark 16:5, 6]

7. It had a groove in front of the entrance where a large stone would have been ROLLED in order to seal it, just as Scripture indicates [Matthew 27:60].

8. This is the ONLY one of the three locations situated on Mount Moriah, the location REQUIRED by Torah where SACRIFICE FOR SIN could be offered [Deuteronomy 16:2].

And we KNOW that Jesus Himself said He came TO FULFILL "every jot and tittle of" the Torah (Matthew 5:17-18).

9. Jesus, being the Lamb of God, would have been taken from the nearby Antonia Fortress outside the city through the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate leads to Gordon's Calvary. It DOES NOT lead to the Mount of Olives, or to the so-called Holy Sepulcher.

He would have had to zigzag all over the city in order to reach the location of the Holy Sepulcher.

10. 2,000 years later, despite erosion, there's still the unmistakable FORM OF A SKULL, on the hillside at Gordon's Calvary. It's easy to see why people referred to it as Golgotha, meaning "the place of a skull" [John 19:17].

I hate to bring this up during Holy Week, but that just shows what lengths religious liars will go to, in order to cover The Truth.

They'd rather we believed THEIR SINFUL, SELF-SERVING WORD OVER AND ABOVE GOD'S. In order to believe the other two locations, we would have to COMPLETELY DISREGARD EVERYTHING God said about this unique place, and BLINDLY believe WHAT THEY SAY.

However, lest any doubt remain, the apostle John, the ONLY DISCIPLE THAT stood before Jesus at THE REAL Golgotha and SAW THE PLACE OF CRUCIFIXION WITH HIS OWN EYES, told us UNDISPUTEDLY what the correct location was:

Revelation 10:8: "Their bodies will lie ON THE SQUARE of the great city... WHERE ALSO THEIR LORD WAS CRUCIFIED".

John unmistakably says Jesus was crucified AT A CITY SQUARE or PLAZA (plateias in Greek).

There's NO SQUARE at the Mount of Olives location, and there's never been.

There's NO SQUARE at the Holy Sepulcher location, and there's never been.

Besides matching ALL the other requirements TO PERFECTION, Gordon's Calvary, a/k/a "the place of the skull" [Golgotha] is right across the street from Damascus Square, which dates back to the time of Christ.

Period. End of story. Case closed.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2013

THE IMAGE OF GOD

"The Son is THE IMAGE OF the invisible God"... (Colossians 1:15)

"The Son is the reflection of God's glory and THE EXACT LIKENESS OF God's Being" (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip? ...Anyone WHO HAS SEEN ME has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? (John 14:9) It's truly amazing how the HUMAN Image of Jesus has been PRESERVED through 21 centuries to this day and age.

Keeping in mind that Jesus' Birth took place over 2,000 years ago, and that photography wasn't even INVENTED UNTIL the year 1822 (19th century), it truly is remarkable.

The Image of Jesus has been depicted in art more than ANY OTHER.

All the great masters from Giotto to Masaccio, from Ghirlandaio to Botticelli, from Michelangelo to Raphael, from Rubens to Leonardo, from Rembrandt to El Greco, have made Jesus the subject of their masterpieces at least once.

Every painting of Jesus, every prayer card, every medal or crucifix, portrays Him the same way: tall, thin, slightly muscular, with a beard, and similar facial features.

You'll never find ONE image of Jesus that portrays Him short or even of average height.

You'll never find ONE image of Jesus that portrays Him as being heavy or overweight.

HOW His Image, the HUMAN Image of God, could be passed down from generation to generation, for 21 centuries, without the benefit of conventional photography, is nothing short of miraculous.

It can be attributed to what we know today as the Shroud of Turin, which IS, beyond ANY doubt, the burial cloth of Jesus.

I'm not a fan of religious relics. In fact, I tend to frown on them.

But the Shroud is unique. There's NOTHING remotely comparable to it ANYWHERE.

Not only does it bear the human Image of our God and Creator. Not only does it bear the Image of our ONE AND ONLY Savior. It's stained with His Blood.

The VERY BLOOD that He poured out, to the very last drop, for your sins and mine.

The Shroud has been analyzed by more than one team of reputable scientists. It's been more scrutinized by experts in various fields and photographed than any other relic in the world.

And even in this day and age, with ALL the magnificent and considerable state-of-the-art technology at our disposal, which no other generation has enjoyed, NO ONE can duplicate it and NO ONE can explain HOW the Image was formed.

All those who've made sensationalist CLAIMS to have "duplicated" it have only hogged the limelight FOR A FEW DAYS and rightly so. They've soon been DISMISSED and forgotten.

All they've managed to produce ARE VERY CRUDE non-realistic images that COME NOWHERE NEAR the Shroud's Image in quality, detail, realism, or, for that matter, A NUMBER OF OTHER exceptional characteristics.

The Image itself is PROVEN to contain no paint, pigment or powder. It is non-directional, as opposed to artist brush strokes which flow in one direction or another.

It is so faint, and of such UNUSUAL coloring that it's been described more as a DISCOLORATION OF the cloth itself.

That's why it's much more visible in reverse (negative).

Three-dimensional information is encoded into it. What artist, let alone a medieval one, could have accomplished THAT?

The Image is that of a REAL dead man, not some statue.

That REAL man shows the precise marks of Crucifixion described in the Gospels, including the crown of thorns, the savage flogging, front and back, the nail prints on both hands and feet and even the spear thrust through Jesus' side.

It is stained with HUMAN (and, I might add, SINLESS) blood type AB which, although not uncommon in the Middle East, is rather rare in Europe.

Well, what about the carbon 14 tests conducted in three different laboratories in 1988 which dated it from 1260-1390 A.D.?

A. The Shroud suffered damage during a fire that almost destroyed it in 1532. As a result, some repairs had to be made.

The cloth portion taken for the carbon test was not of the same chemical composition as THE REST OF THE CLOTH.

It had been compromised by being interwoven with newer threads used by the Poor Clare nuns to make the repairs, thus yielding an inaccurate result.

B. Carbon 14 dating, while useful, is NOT infallible. It has been PROVEN to yield false dates.

C. The small portion used for the tests also came from a highly touched area of the Shroud additionally compromised by a higher than 60% "bioplastic coating" of bacterial growth caused by the extensive handling. It is, after all, 2,000 years old.

D. Textile experts have testified that both, the cloth itself and the type of weaving involved are distinctly from the first century A.D.

E. All the other evidence aside, the Hungarian Pray Codex, a manuscript which dates back to 1192, shows a drawing of the Shroud with its very distinct first century herringbone weave, and ANOTHER unmatched characteristic, the three L-shaped burn holes which are commonly referred to as "poker holes".

There are a number of other depictions on the Codex consistent with the Shroud: Jesus is shown lying down, naked with his arms modestly crossed at the wrists, the fingers are unusually long and there are no visible thumbs. This seems artistically strange but to forensic pathologists it makes perfect sense.

The illustration also shows a clear mark on Jesus' forehead where the distinctive 3-shaped bloodstain appears on the Shroud.

This PROVES UNEQUIVOCALLY that the Shroud EXISTED and WAS KNOWN as early as 1192, a WHOLE CENTURY PRIOR to the earliest carbon 14 date.

F. Its twin cloth, known as the Sudarium of Oviedo, also containing type AB blood stains, proven to have covered the same face and to perfectly match the head blood stains on the Shroud, has a well-documented history and is KNOWN, BEYOND DISPUTE, to date back to AT LEAST the 6th century A.D. That's over 700 YEARS PRIOR TO the earliest carbon 14 date.

For those who say that "it's a forgery", you're simply living IN DENIAL.

You MUST attack the Shroud as you MUST attack ANYTHING that could remotely be construed as proof of Jesus' Deity.

Why? Because you're TERRIFIED at the prospect of facing A REAL, LIVING GOD.

You think that by burying your head in the sand and DENYING Him, you'll make Him "go away".

No, it's YOU that's "going away".

He's from ETERNITY TO ETERNITY.

You can deny Him from now until you open your eyes in the lake of fire and find there's NO WAY OUT.

He exists. He is THE ONLY WAY of Salvation. And to ANY diligent, OBJECTIVE, Truth-seeking PERSON, the Deity of Jesus is UNDENIABLE.

Contrary to what has been stated in recently published, fantasy-laden, unsubstantiated trash, it wasn't to Mary Magdalene.

Jesus proposed to His Church. If you're a born-again believer in Christ, He proposed TO YOU!

WE ARE THE LUCKY BRIDE!

The proposal took place during the Last Supper, when Jesus ate Passover with his disciples at the Upper Room, in Jerusalem.

In Jewish tradition, the Groom acquired his Bride by offering money, or some object of value, then entering into a binding contract called the ketubah. Once the Bride accepted, the Groom would go away to "prepare a place for her".

Before leaving, however, he would offer her a cup of wine. If she accepted that cup, she was accepting his proposal.

The bride would veil her face and wait for the groom to return and take her to that place he'd prepared. Then the marriage would be consummated. This is exactly what took place during the Last Supper. Jesus promised to go prepare a place for us [John 14:2].

He offered THE BIGGEST dowry IN HISTORY -- NO LESS than His precious Blood -- His VERY OWN LIFE (Hebrews 9:11, 12).

He presented a wedding contract called Brit Hadasha, (The New Testament), which is our ketubah (prenup) (Matthew 26:26-28).

He then offered the cup of wine, which represented the indescribably precious Blood he poured out for us [Matthew 26:27,28].

The disciples accepted the cup and drank the wine on behalf of his entire Church, since it's BUILT ON the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Himself being its Chief Cornerstone, as well as its Capstone.

Shortly thereafter He ACTUALLY PAID this unimaginable price for His Bride, namely His own Life.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, with the promise He will return and "receive us unto Himself" [John 14:2, 3].

Every time we take communion, as they did at the Last Supper, it's a reminder of our betrothal (engagement) to Him.

It's also a reminder of the ENORMOUS, INCALCULABLE PRICE [dowry] He paid for His Bride.

It's a reminder that WE BELONG TO Him and are supposed to BE READY, eagerly and excitedly awaiting His Appearing.

The Church has been betrothed to our Lord FOR 2,000 YEARS!!!

Now, that's A LONG engagement!

TOO LONG, if you ask me.

Our Lord's return to bring His Bride home is overdue, which means it WILL happen in the VERY near future.

For all intents and purposes, our marriage to Him, is A DONE DEAL.

All that's left is THE CONSUMMATION.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2013

WOMAN

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said unto his mother, WOMAN, behold your son!

Then said he to the disciple, Behold your mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home" (John 19:26-27).

I have heard and read every imaginable theory as to why Jesus always called Mary "woman" and never "mother":

The fact is you can't find A SINGLE INSTANCE in the Gospels where He calls her "mother", except when He hangs on the cross and tells John "behold YOUR mother".

I've listened to sermons (as a baby Christian, I wouldn't sit through that trash today), where the suggestion was made that He called her "woman" in DEFIANCE, or as a PUT DOWN.

NOTHING could be farther from the Truth.

Jesus came to FULFILL (eternally SATISFY) God's law (Matthew 5:17).

As such, He was well aware of the fourth commandment "HONOR your father AND YOUR MOTHER" (Exodus 20:12).

Not to mention that, under the law, cursing one's father or mother was punishable by death (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9).

He even quoted this part of the law to the Pharisees (Matthew 15:4).

Moreover, the Gospel of Luke CLEARLY TELLS US that, as He grew up, He was "subject to" both Mary and Joseph (Luke 2:51).

I am CERTAIN that Love Personified LOVED His earthly mother and, even when she and his brothers thought He was nuts, always treated her with kindness and respect (Mark 3:20-21,31-35).

Because of Genesis 3:15: "And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and THE WOMAN (isha), and between your seed and HER SEED;HE SHALL BRUISE YOUR HEAD, and you shall bruise his heel".

Because He IS the "seed of the woman" that was promised LONG AGO that would CRUSH Satan's head.

1 Corinthians 2:8 tells us that had Satan and his principalities KNOWN and UNDERSTOOD what God was doing, they "WOULD HAVE NOT CRUCIFIED the Lord of glory".

That is why, as Jesus hung on the cross he told Mary "WOMAN (isha) behold your son".

Oh, I thought He said that to Mary regarding John.

Yes, He said it SECONDARILY about John. And He did commit Mary's care to His beloved disciple. But He meant PRINCIPALLY HIMSELF:

"Woman, (isha)LOOK AT YOUR son"!

"WOMAN, look at YOUR SEED"!

(That's why the VIRGIN BIRTH was NECESSARY).

"Look, WOMAN, I'm THE SEED that God promised would come FROM YOU to crush Satan's head and redeem mankind".

It may SEEM that I'm defeated, but with my death and subsequent resurrection, I will crush Satan's head and FOREVER defeat him ON BEHALF OF MANKIND.

Jesus was saying "I AM the fulfillment of that promise God made to THE WOMAN (isha) in Genesis 3:15".

How appropriate, then, that the place where He was crucified was named Golgotha, meaning "the place OF THE SKULL" (Mark 15:22).

Two thousand years later Satan's still trying to recover from a crushed skull and a massive head wound.

I got BAD NEWS FOR HIM:

His "condition" (Revelation 20:10) is TERMINAL.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2013

LET JESUS BE

"For IN Him we LIVE and move and have our Being" (Acts 17:28).

One of the most tremendous passages in Scripture is found in Exodus 3:14 where Moses asks God what His Name is.

And God answers "I AM that I AM". "You shall say... "I AM" HAS SENT ME".

It's because God "AM" THAT EVERYTHING "IS".

"I AM" expresses ETERNITY. "I AM" is ETERNAL.

There's never a "time" (for lack of a better term) when "I AM"... ISN'T.

I AM is both ETERNITY AND INFINITY.

The ENTIRE UNIVERSE in all its dimensions, and every thing they contain, can be summed up in His Name "I AM".

All that exists is an expression of the fact that God "AM".

ALL THINGS WERE MADE by Him (John 1:3).

By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.

All things were created BY HIM, AND FOR HIM. (Colossians 1:16).

He sustains ALL THINGS by the Word of His Power (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17).

Because God "AM", He has the power to determine what IS or IS NOT.

Jesus IS God (John 1:1-2).

Jesus IS "I AM" (John 8:24).

That's why ETERNAL LIFE is found ONLY in Him (1 John 5:12).

When we receive Jesus as God, the ETERNAL I AM is activated IN YOU. That's what the born-again experience is about.

I AM (God, Jesus) IS NOT "out there somewhere". HE IS IN YOU.

I AM is ACTUALLY, LITERALLY IN us (John 14:23).

Consequently, we are NOT to seek "I AM" (God, Jesus) OUTWARDLY but INSIDE.

Furthermore, since NOTHING IS without "I am", I AM IS "US".

Repeat: I AM IS "US".

Pause and meditate on THAT.

Are you saying that I AM God?

If you have received God (Jesus) as God and Savior, and HE LIVES IN you, YES!!!

Gee, Martel, that sounds like heresy.

I don't care WHAT it SOUNDS like.

Religion just hasn't got the spiritual fortitude TO FACE that great Truth.

God Himself says we are Gods (Psalm 82:6).

And Jesus, God Incarnate, repeated it (John 10:34).

God called Gods, those INTO whom the LIVING Word of God (Jesus) came (John 10:35).

And Jesus made it clear that "Scripture CANNOT be broken".

Hence those IN WHOM the Living Word of God (Jesus) LIVES ARE Gods.

By the way, we're not talking about "big God" and "little gods", as religion often presents it.

There's NO SUCH THING AS a "little" God. That's an oxymoron.

Nor are we talking about "gods" either.There's no such thing as "gods".

The term "gods", with a small case "g", is used to represent FALSE, IMAGINARY, NON-EXISTENT "deities".

"gods" ARE NOT.

"I AM" IS.

Not only has I AM said repeatedly that we also "AM".

He repeatedly calls Himself our Father (Matthew 6:9; Hebrews 12:9; 1 John 3:1).

He gave us His Name and His authority (Mark 16:17).

He made us His heirs and not co-heirs but JOINT HEIRS with Jesus (Romans 8:17).

He chose us in Himself before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).

He created us IN HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS (Genesis 1:27).

He put His own Divine (God) Nature IN US (2 Peter 1:4).

He predestined us to be CONFORMED TO HIS IMAGE (Romans 8:29).

He told us that in Jesus dwells ALL THE FULLNESS OF DEITY (of the Godhead) BODILY (Colossians 2:9).

And who is THE BODY OF Christ? His Church (Ephesians 4:15; 5:23,30-32; Colossians 1:18).

He said that ALL OF CREATION is eagerly anticipating the MANIFESTATION of our true Self which is Jesus (Romans 8:18-19).

That when He appears we SHALL BE LIKE HIM (1 John 3:2).

He promised we would rule and reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 5:12).

He promised we would sit with Him on His Throne (Revelation 3:21).

So, let's recap, IF God:

1. Is our Father.

2. Gave us His Name and authority.

3. Made us His heirs.

4. Chose us in Himself and predestined us before the foundation of the world.

5. Made us in His Image.

6. Gave us His Divine Nature

7. Predestined us to be Him and CONFORM TO His Image.

8. Called us His Body, of which He is THE HEAD.

9. Promised we would be LIKE Him.

10. Said we would RULE WITH Him.

11. Said we would sit with Him on His Throne.

12. Called us Gods.

WHAT DOES THAT MAKE US?

WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU?

In Christ Jesus, we are all Gods, FACETS OF the eternal God, "I AM".

We are all ONE SPIRIT with I AM (John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 6:17).

"I AM" IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ALL HIS "PARTS" (us).

Isn't that polytheism?

No. Polytheism is the belief IN MANY SEPARATE Gods.

Our God is One (Deuteronomy 6:4).

BESIDE "I AM" there is NO OTHER God (Isaiah 45:5; 46:9).

However, IN HIM are TRILLIONS...

As Jesus Himself taught: We are IN Him and He is IN US (John 17:11, 21-23).

All Gods worship the ONE God in Whom THEY ARE (Acts 17:28).

FIND JESUS INSIDE YOU AND LET HIM BE.

JESUS (God) IS WHO YOU REALLYARE.

MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013

ONE LORD, ONE FAITH

"There is ONE BODY, and ONE Spirit...ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and IN YOU ALL." (Ephesians 4:4-6)

HOW MANY CHURCHES does Jesus have?

Any casual observer, who took a peek around Christendom, would think He had at least 300 churches.

It may surprise you to learn that Jesus only has ONE Church.

And I got news for you: His Church IS NOT your denomination.

Repeat: Christ's Church is NOT your denomination.

I don't care WHAT your denomination is called or who founded it, IT'S NOT JESUS' CHURCH.

Jesus' TRUE Church is multinational, multilingual, multiracial, and MULTIDENOMINATIONAL.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELONG TO ANY denomination in order to be part of Jesus' UNIVERSAL Church.

Here's ANOTHER newsflash: His Church is 2,000 years old.

It was founded by Christ Himself, ON HIMSELF, TWO THOUSANDS YEARS AGO (Matthew 16:16-17).

Consequently, ANY denominational group INVENTED in the 19th century CANNOT BE Christ's Church NOR can it be the ONE "true" denomination.

No group INVENTED in 1830, 1849, 1863, 1866, 1870, or 1946 can be Christ's "true" Church.

But I thought...

Sorry, but you've been LIED TO (Romans 3:4; Galatians 1:8).

In fact those Johnny-come-lately "groups" who PRETEND to tell others what "true Christianity" is about, DON'T KNOW JESUS, hence are "Christian" IN NAME ONLY.

If you DON'T KNOW THE Church's FOUNDER (Jesus), you CANNOT BE the "one true Church".

What about Roman Catholicism?

It's definitely THE OLDEST Christian denomination, since it came into existence in the 4th century.

But didn't Jesus found it ON PETER?

No, Jesus FOUND the Church ON HIMSELF and although His Church is UNIVERSAL, He never founded A ROMAN CHURCH.

Repeat: Jesus NEVER founded a ROMAN Church, since He never traveled outside Israel (Matthew 15:24).

Not to mention that it was ROMANS who crucified Him, and MURDERED THOUSANDS OF HIS FOLLOWERS, INCLUDING PETER.

Peter said repeatedly that Jesus was the Foundation and the ROCK on which His Church was founded (1 Peter 2:3-4, 6-8).

But suppose He had founded it on Peter, and suppose that Peter was, in fact, "the first Pope",Peter was a Jew. And the Church was born in Jerusalem, Israel, NOT in Rome, Italy.

That is UNDENIABLE, UNDISPUTED, HISTORIC FACT (Acts 2:1-4).

Therefore, what we know today as Roman Catholicism CANNOT BE God's ONE true Church, TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHERS.

Are there Roman Catholics in Christ's ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH?

Absolutely, and we thank Jesus for each and every one of them.

In fact, God's Word SPECIFICALLY tells us that the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, is comprised of MANY DIFFERENT PARTS (1 Corinthians 12:14).

It also says that one "part" CANNOT SAY to another "I don't need you" (1 Corinthians 12:21).

NO DENOMINATION -regardless of its name - can make us members of Christ's ONE UNIVERSAL Church.

ONLY the Holy Spirit can BAPTIZE (immerse) us into Christ's SPIRITUAL, MYSTICAL BODY, which is His Church (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13).

THE ONLY WAY to be a GENUINE member of Jesus' Church is TO RECEIVE JESUS, the Church's Founder, INTO YOUR HEART as God and Savior.

THERE IS NO OTHER WAY to be a member of His Church (John 14:6;).

And, as Peter himself told us, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO BE SAVED (Acts 4:12).

You can call yourself "Christian" til you grow a religious halo around your head.

You can join THAT INVENTED denomination and follow its rules until you turn into a shriveled, old prune.

NONE OF THAT impresses Jesus one bit, nor does it make you member of His Church.

YOU CAN ONLY BE a true Christian when you HAVE CHRIST HIMSELF IN YOU.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2013

TRUE WORSHIPERS

"You worship WHAT YOU KNOW NOT we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour comes, and now is, when THE TRUE WORSHIPERS shall worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: for the Father SEEKS SUCH to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT and in truth" (John 4:22-24).

Not everyone who CLAIMS to worship God is A TRUE worshiper.

Again: Not everyone who CLAIMS to worship God is A TRUE worshiper.

Wait a minute: Are you telling me there are FALSE worshipers?

No. JESUS TOLD US there are.

He would have never used the term "true worshipers" UNLESS there are FALSE worshipers.

False worshipers, according to the Lord Himself, are those who worship Someone Whom they DON'T KNOW.

That's right:

There were yesterday, and are today, millions of supposed "Christians" ALL OVER THE WORLD, attending religious services, CLAIMING to worship a God whom they DON'T EVEN KNOW.

They go through the motions: They dress like religion tells them they're supposed to dress, look like they're supposed to look, recite the prayers, sing the hymns, say what they're expected to say ON CUE, read the selected Scriptures, kneel when they're told to, raise their hands when they're told to, participate in one or more perfunctory rituals... all the time PRETENDING TO WORSHIP a God who is as foreign to them as the Dalai Lama is to me.

A God Whom they've HEARD ABOUT, but have NEVER EXPERIENCED.

Some have even deluded themselves into THINKING they are worshiping the God of the Bible, but THEY AREN'T.

Jesus said there are worshipers who DON'T KNOW WHAT they worship.

They DON'T KNOW the very God whom they CLAIM to be worshiping.

Why?

They worship ONLY with their minds and emotions, NOT WITH THEIR SPIRIT.

They CAN'T worship God with their spirits because their spirits ARE DEAD.

Jesus Christ LIVES IN our SPIRITS, when we KNOW Him, the One true God.

Hence, when we KNOW Jesus, our spirit COMES ALIVE. Consequently, we worship Him in Spirit and in Truth when we KNOW Him, deeply and intimately in the innermost recesses of our beings.

Those who do are TRUE worshipers.

God, as Jesus said, IS Spirit.

You can't worship THE LIVING God with a dead spirit. THE ONLY WAY we can worship the Father of spirits is with BORN AGAIN SPIRITS, WHICH ARE ALIVE.

That's why Jesus IN US is THE ONLY WAY TO the Father (John 14:6).

That's why THERE'S NO WAY TO SIDESTEP THE HUMAN HEART and be saved.

Jesus MUST beINTENTIONALLY received and INVITED to PENETRATE the deepest, most intimate recesses of our beings.

When He does, He permanently LIVES in us.

When He does, our SPIRITS are RESURRECTED and ALIVE.

When He does, we become TRUE worshipers.

Not to mention, TRUE Christians...

That's why those who DENY that Jesus is God CANNOT BE SAVED:

The ONLY WAY to God is through God Himself.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 2013

GIFT OF PROPHECY

Today we offer somewhat unusual: three brief prophetic messages recently given by a sister named Kathy.

They are listed from oldest to most recent.

This is something we seldom do.

However, we do believe in the gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit and that they are given to edify the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

The GIFT of prophecy is to be distinguished from the OFFICE of prophet.

The OFFICE of prophet existed since the Old Testament, still exists today, and true prophets ALWAYS get it right (Deuteronomy 18:20-22; Jeremiah 28:9; Ephesians 4:11-13).

The GIFT of prophecy was introduced in the New Testament, as a manifestation of God's Holy Spirit in and to His Body and, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3, is given to the Church "for edification, exhortation, and comfort".

The reader is free to heed or disregard:

All will soon see , - that I AM : " The Ancient of Days "!

All will know, - that I AM: " The King of the Ages "!

I AM: " The Beginning and The End "!

I AM: " The First and The Last "!

I AM: " The Alpha and The Omega "!

I AM: " He Who Was, He Who Is, and He Who Is Coming "!

Before Me, - there were no others!

I AM: He - " I AM That I AM "!

I AM: " The Great I AM "!

I AM: " Eternal "!

I AM: " Divine "!

No, - there never was, nor ever shall be - one like Me!

I AM: your " Coming King - JESUS "!

I AM: your " King of Glory"!

I AM: your " ALL - IN - ALL "!

I AM: your JESUS!

Rest In My Peace!...

We Love You!...

The whole world is about to fall into chaos!

This has been written about, - in: My Word!

My Word Is Truth!

Be prepared and ready!

Make sure your hearts are made right with Me, - Jesus!

This is the True test, - of time!

If you are truly prepared and ready " Now ", - for what is about to take place, - then,- you are also automatically prepared and ready for: My 2nd.Coming!

JESUS will be glorified throughout the whole heavens, and earth, and universe!He - JESUS - Alone, is worthy to receive: All Glory, Honour, Adoration, Praise,

Worship, and Thanksgiving!

Look Up!

Rejoice!

Your King, - JESUS, - Is Coming!

I give you My Peace!

We love you!

FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013

FROM SATAN TO MESSIAH

Wanna learn how to go from adversary to Messiah IN JUST ONE WEEK?

Just follow President Obama for a few days.

Last Sunday, the portrayal of Satan in the mini-series The Bible by Moroccan actor Mehdi Ouazanni caused a firestorm of controversy because he so closely resembled our 44th President.

The show's producers and make-up artist can deny it til the cows come home: there's NO WAY I'm buying that they DIDN'T do it INTENTIONALLY.

Don't be so reluctant to take credit, Mark Burnett and company: It was a brilliant marketing tactic AND IT WORKED.

That was BEFORE the trip to Israel.

As a spiritual Jew, and KNOWING just HOW CLOSE we are to the tribulation, I was gratified to hear the President say that "he has Israel's back".

That Israel has the right to defend itself, and that Mr. Obama will not tolerate, under any circumstance, a nuclear Iran.

I'm also appreciative of the fact that the heretofore frosty relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to have thawed: it was nice to see the Barack and Bibi show, with the President and Prime Minister exchanging jokes, hugs, and handshakes.

2. The unforgettable photo-op of our President flashing his pearly whites as he was greeted by Israeli children waving American and Israeli flags.

I DON'T CARE WHAT POLITICAL PARTY you belong to, if THAT didn't move you, you need a blood transfusion.

Kaiser Wilhelm visited Jerusalem in 1898 at the invitation of the Ottoman Empire, and haughtily entered the city ON A WHITE HORSE.

Such act was viewed by many as arrogant and in poor taste, since those who've read the New Testament know that Jesus, the King of kings, entered Jerusalem ON A DONKEY.

Mindful of this, when British General Edmund Allenby liberated the city 19 years later, he quickly dismounted his horse and ENTERED ON FOOT, claiming he was coming to Jerusalem not as a conqueror but as a pilgrim.

Never mind that our President entered the city in a state of the art limo - that much was to be expected -HE ENTERED ON THE SAME DAYAS JESUS DID 2,000 YEARS AGO, JUST A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO HIS CRUCIFIXION (John 12:1, 12-15).

I know the President is a very busy man and perhaps that was the only time in his overbooked agenda where he could squeeze in the Israel trip, but I also know he has a number of Jewish men and women in his inner circle.

I find it ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE that they weren't aware OF THE SIGNIFICANCE of Aviv 9-10, or of the irony.

We know Jesus was crucified on Passover, on a Wednesday, and spent three days and nights in the tomb before being resurrected Saturday evening from Gentiles' perspective, or on Sunday evening from a Jewish perspective (Matthew 12:40).

That means He ate Passover the night before the Crucifixion, on Tuesday night. So, according to John 12:1,12, Jesus would have entered Jerusalem 5 DAYS PRIOR, on a Wednesday, just like Mr. Obama.

Perhaps it's all just "coincidence"...

I guess some in the media don't call him "the anointed one" for nothing.

Oh, geez, I shouldn't have said that... The Obama Antichrist nuts are going to get on it like a chicken on a bug.

All I know is residents of the Jewish Quarter (the OLDEST portion of Jerusalem) were complaining that Obama's visit has virtually put them under siege, since entire areas of the quarter, including markets, were completely SHUT DOWN several days before the President's arrival, for security reasons:

All this while Jewish housewives are busy preparing for the celebration of Passover in just a few days.

Whether all this was intentional or providential, I'm grateful that the Lord has allowed us to see and hear these things prior to our Departure.

Messianic aspirations aside, soon the U.S. won't be able to cover ITS OWN back, let alone Israel's.

After all is said and done, there's ONLY ONE who ultimately HAS Israel's back: And His Name is JESUS.

"Blessed is He who comes IN THE NAME OF THE LORD".

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013

BORN AGAIN POPE?

When I wrote about the election of Pope Francis six days ago, among other remarks I stated THAT THIS POPE DOES NOT fit the description "Peter the Roman" in any way.

Of course that didn't stop some of you from offering different theories. We're still getting mail about it.

Some have pointed out that he took the name Francis, after Francis of Assisi, and that Francis of Assisi's Father's name was Pietro de Bernardone.

C'mon, people, get real... Give me a freakin' break!

We're NOT PLAYING "6 degrees of separation"!

Others felt "compelled" to write, as though I were an idiot, that although the Pope is Argentinean, his parents were from Italy.

Really...

Gee, with over 50% of the Argentinean population being of Italian descent and with a last name like Bergoglio... I would have never guessed!

I KNOW his parents were Italian. So what? Being Italian DOESN'T MAKE ONE "Roman" anymore than being American makes one New Yorker or Washingtonian.

In fact, of the 61 million Italians, there are 58 MILLION WHO ARE NOT Roman. There goes THAT theory...

Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires. And his family was from the town of Portacomaro in Northwestern Italy, NOT FROM ROME.

Brothers and sisters, GIVE IT A REST:

YOU CAN'T FIT A SQUARE PEG INTO A ROUND HOLE.

You can play all the silly games you want trying DISINGENUOUSLY TO "ADAPT" THE PROPHECY TO THIS GUY.

You're doing the same thing as the Nostradamus loons and the daily horoscope fanatics who BEND OVER BACKWARDS trying to make their daily horoscope "fit" their sorry, empty lives.

When you play those mental contortionist games you can make ANYONE "fit" ANYTHING.

True prophecy fits clearly and EFFORTLESSLY.

I also stated:

"WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS POPE IS BORN-AGAIN."

I have prayed often, for many years, for born-again, Spirit filled leadership in the Catholic Church.

From the start, Pope Francis seemed different from all his predecessors. He is the very first Jesuit ever chosen. Jesuits are very evangelical minded and were THE ONLY Catholic order that actually HELPED Jews during the Holocaust, while most other Catholics turned a blind eye and a deaf ear, sweeping it all under the rug.

Matter of fact you can go to Israel and read the names of 12 Jesuit priests at Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum) who risked their lives trying to save Jews during World War II.

The fact that he chose the unprecedented papal name Francis, after Francis of Assisi, touched me deeply because I studied Francis' life as a child and again later as an adult, and know it quite well.

It's quite meaningful because Francis had A VISION of Jesus which TOTALLY and FOREVER CHANGED HIM, making him a NEW person.

Francis was born to a wealthy family, yet WILLINGLY GAVE UP A LIFE OF WEALTH and PRIVILEGE in order to serve Jesus and LIVE TOTALLY FOR the Lord.

Francis became a simple, down to earth man, who tried to REFORM the Church.

Francis tried to put and end to the infamous "crusades".

And Jesus told Francis to "rebuild His Church" which was "in ruins".

Clearly, Jesus couldn't have meant the Lateran Palace (the Pope's official residence at the time) which was in pretty good shape and quite opulent.

Other aspects of the new Pope's life stand out: his spontaneity, his humility, how in Buenos Aires he shunned Cardinal privileges like a limo and a fancy residence, and chose instead to live in a humble apartment, where he cooked his own meals, and use public transportation (bus).

How, unlike previous Popes, he met his fellow cardinals, not as superior, on a pedestal, but on the same level, as brothers.

How he asked others to pray for him, before he prayed for them.

How unlike his predecessors he DID NOT immediately confirm Cardinals in their various administrative positions in the Roman Curia, but asked them to stay only on a temporary basis, indicating both, that he may replace them, and that he means business and NOT "as usual".

Could this man REALLY KNOW Jesus?

WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING FOR IT, I found this article from Christianity Today last Sunday.

You can also read what the Pope's personal friend, fellow Argentinian and renowned international evangelist Luis Palau, said about the new Pope:

"You know he knew God the father personally. The way he prayed, the way he talked to the Lord, was of a man who knows Jesus Christ and was very spiritually intimate with the Lord. It's not an effort [for him] to pray. He didn't do reading prayers; he just prayed to the Lord spontaneously. It is a sign that good things will happen worldwide in the years of his papal work".

ASSUMING that Malachy's prophecy is true, "Peter the Roman" would have to be UNSAVED since he won't be raptured but will remain on earth and lead whatever's left of the Catholic Church in its "final persecution" and amidst "many tribulations".

I'm also on record stating that Peter the Roman is already around, and that there's a man who holds a key position in the Roman Curia who PERFECTLY and EFFORTLESSLY FITS that description.

I also cautioned everyone NOT TO jump to conclusions on Malachy's prophecy and give it a chance to play itself out:

"As for Pope Francis: DON'T CRY FOR HIM, Argentina.

It's UNLIKELY that he will be the RCC's leader during the tribulation".

Again:

Malachy DID NOT say that the last leader of the Catholic Church would be NAMED "Peter the Roman".

Peter the Roman is merely a DESCRIPTIVE term which, if the prophecy is true, must clearly apply to the right individual.

Malachy DID NOT say this final Catholic leader would be ELECTED Pope.

Malachy DID NOT EVEN SAY that he would be a Pope.

Malachy said this Peter would lead the Church amidst persecution and MANY TRIBULATIONS.

The tribulation HAS NOT YET BEGUN.

That's why I said DON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS, WAIT:

A LOT can happen in the near future that we haven't even thought of.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2013

7 WEEKS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

The Spring Feasts in the Hebrew calendar have had enormous effect on the world itself as well as on the hearts and lives of millions of people.

One would be hard-pressed to imagine what our planet would be like WITHOUT the world-altering, life-altering events that took place within that pivotal period singled out by God.

The 7-week period between Passover and Pentecost gave us the birth of Israel as a nation, Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage, Moses, and the law, including the 10 Commandments.

It was also during that period that Israelites entered the Land of Promise for the first time.

That was the FIRST time around.

The SECOND time around that same period gave us the Crucifixion of Christ, His burial and Resurrection, the resurrection of thousands of Old Testament saints, Jesus' Ascension, the birth of the Church, and the Holy Spirit's Presence in the hearts of believers in Jesus the Messiah.

They produced ETERNAL REDEMPTION for those who receive Jesus into their hearts, and TRUST HIM completely for Salvation (Hebrews (:12; 10:14).

There's yet ANOTHER 7-week period that will likewise change the world and alter the lives of EVERYONE IN IT, for better or for worse.

Only this one isn't comprised of SEVEN 7-day weeks, but SEVEN 7-year weeks.

I'm talking about the 7 week (49 year period) mentioned in Daniel 9:25 which will lead to the Rapture and Second Coming of Messiah Prince.

We are in that 7 week period RIGHT NOW.

And we're VERY NEAR the end of it.

Brace yourself.

If you are not a believer in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, please BECOME ONE TODAY.

Invite Jesus to enter your heart.

Receive Him as your Lord, Savior and God.

And if you already KNOW the Jewish Messiah as your Lord, Savior and God, REJOICE:

Exciting and glorious days lie ahead.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2013

SATAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Last night, for the second time, I tried to watch the miniseries The Bible, and just couldn't stand it.

Gee wiz, it was WORSE than even I anticipated.

Horrendous casting and THE WORST ACTING I've seen in recent memory. When they showed their portrayal of Daniel speaking with an over the top British accent and calling the Creator "Gaawd", I couldn't take it and just turned it off. What a piece of crap!

As far as casting is concerned, it seems, however, that I missed the most exciting part of the episode.

The one where Satan appears (I'm going to assume on the Mount of Temptation) as a black guy who greatly resembles President Obama.

It's been all over the media today.

Producer Mark Burnett, an Obama supporter, denied any intention to associate Satan with the President, but C'MON!

If you age President Obama 20-30 years, he'd look EXACTLY like this guy.

They KNEW PRECISELY what they were doing when they cast the Obama look alike and, doubtlessly, have generated a lot of controversy, press coverage and, I assume, interest in the series, with this clever marketing ploy.

They probably got the idea from surfing the internet since there are OVER 7 MILLION websites, and over ONE MILLION YouTube videos, that offer "proof" that our 44th President is the Antichrist.

They invariably present photoshopped pictures of the President with two horns on his head and FIRE COMING OUT HIS EYES.

Impressive "proof", indeed...

Some people simply have too much free time on their hands...

One such "expert" contacted me recently, indignant because I flat-out DEMONSTRATE, BIBLICALLY, that the Antichrist CANNOT BE President Obama.

Would you like to know what his "proof" consisted of?

The President's Chicago address (allegedly) contains three SIXES.

The President's Illinois zip code also contains three SIXES (as in 666).

And (supposedly) the day after Mr. Obama won re-election the Illinois lottery's winning number contained 666. Imagine how DUMBFOUNDED I was to be confronted with such DEVASTATINGLY "ACCURATE", "CONVINCING", "INTELLIGENT", and "BIBLICAL" "PROOF".

Needless to say, after his portrayal in the miniseries, these morons will be more convinced than ever, that the President is the incarnation of the wicked one.

After all, we KNOW that EVERYTHING on TV is true, right?

Just like EVERYTHING on the internet...

Political ideology aside, I'm quite certain that Satan doesn't resemble the President and vice versa.

However, THE IDEA of Satan in the White House isn't so far fetched.

After all, he will be ruling the whole world through his Antichrist sooner than most people imagine.

Although the beautiful and historic White House may no longer exist by then, he will have dominion of the planet and receive MANDATORY WORSHIP, UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH, for 42 months (Revelation 13:4-5).

When that happens EVERYONE on earth, will have to choose between Christ and Antichrist.

Those will be THE ONLY "choices".

NO ONE will be able to sit on the fence or be "neutral".

And THERE WON'T BE ANY ATHEISTS OR AGNOSTICS, since the existence of both Christ and Satan, at that point in time, will be UNDENIABLE.

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

OVERTAKING HISTORY

"And the LORD answered me, and said, WRITE THE VISION, and make it plain upon tables, so he may run that reads it.

For THE VISION IS YET FOR AN APPOINTED TIME, but AT THE END IT SHALL SPEAK, AND NOT LIE: THOUGH IT TARRIES, WAIT FOR IT; BECAUSE IT WILL SURELY COME, IT WILL NOT DELAY" (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

Hebrews chapter 11 mentions all the patriarchs and heroes of the faith, and then it makes the following observation:

"These all DIED IN FAITH, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES, but HAVING SEEN THEM AFAR OFF, AND WERE PERSUADED OF THEM, and embraced them, and confessed that they were STRANGERS AND EXILES ON THE EARTH" (Hebrews 11:13).

I think of Isaiah prophesying about the Messiah's birth, death, First and Second Comings some 800 years BEFORE Jesus was even born (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6).

Jeremiah prophesying 600 years before Jesus died and resurrected about the born again experience, that God would make a NEW Testament where He would remove all our sins, write His laws IN OUR HEARTS, and not even REMEMBER those sins any more (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Ezekiel going into Babylonian Exile and receiving an extraordinary vision of the Glory of God, the re-gathering of the 12 tribes, the Millennium, and the FINAL war of all time (Ezekiel chapters 10, 38-48).

Daniel also exiled to Babylon, made a eunuch, thrown into a lion's den, and emerging unscathed by the Grace of God, and receiving visions of the Antichrist, the tribulation, and the First and Second Coming of Christ down to the VERY YEAR, and the precise number of days (Daniel chapter 7; 9:24-27; 12:11-12).

How he diligently checked Jeremiah's prophecy which promised Jews would return in 70 years to his beloved Jerusalem, which he would never see again in his lifetime.

Then there's Abraham who was childless for the first 100 years of his earthly life yet was promised that in His Seed (Jesus) all nations (gentiles) would be blessed, and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5; Revelation 7:9).

NONE OF THEM ever got to see THE FULFILLMENT of what they prophesied.

But THEY'RE ABOUT TO.

1 Peter 1:10-12 tells it this way:

"RECEIVING THE END OF your faith, even THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS:

Of which salvation THE PROPHETS HAVE INQUIRED AND SEARCHED DILIGENTLY, WHO PROPHESIED OF THE GRACE THAT SHOULD COME UNTO YOU:

Searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, WHEN HE TESTIFIED BEFOREHAND the sufferings of Christ, and THE GLORY THAT SHOULD FOLLOW.

UNTO WHOM IT WAS REVEALED, THAT NOT UNTO THEMSELVES, BUT UNTO US THEY DID MINISTER THE THINGS, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; WHICH THINGS THE ANGELS DESIRE TO LOOK INTO".

God's Word of Prophecy is about to OVERTAKE HISTORY.

All the patriarchs, all the prophets, the angels themselves, ALL OF HEAVEN has waited and waited for what is about to unfold. They'll get to finally see it from the balconies in heaven.

Yet WE ARE THE PRIVILEGED GENERATION that gets to experience it all.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013

INTERPRETERS

"Because THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST (ANTI) God: for IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Romans 8:7).

Once upon a time in Church history the written Word of God was locked up in monasteries and available ONLY to clergy.

It was INACCESSIBLE to the faithful.

Consequently, they could only get the Word "filtered" through TOTALITARIAN, DICTATORIAL religious hierarchy.

What religious despots SAID IT SAID, or said it MEANT, was to be accepted WITHOUT QUESTION, whether it was true or not.

History is witness to the DISASTROUS consequences of such tyranny: flagrant anti-Semitism, horrible "crusades", the INFAMOUS, UNHOLY INQUISITION, and other barbaric atrocities too numerous to mention.

DESPITE such OPPRESSION, God managed to get through to a German monk named Martin Luther, who realized the DECEPTION, greed, and desperate need for reform.

His message was welcomed by many as a breath of fresh air, hope and FREEDOM: "I don't need some stuffy, biased, out of touch religious tyrant telling me what HE SAYS God said. I can read what God ACTUALLY said FOR MYSELF".

One of the welcomed reforms that Luther brought was that believers did not have to BLINDLY ACCEPT what religious leaders taught as scriptural Truth, but were to allow the Holy Spirit, the Author of the whole Bible, to reveal His TRUE INTENT.

However, when dealing with EXTREMES, the pendulum tends to swing, not to the middle, but to the OTHER extreme.

Such has been the case among Evangelicals and others.

Somehow this freedom was misconstrued to mean that "I can NOW INTERPRET the Bible to mean WHAT I THINK it means".

Some even took it up another notch and said "I'm going to filter God's word through my PERSONAL OPINION, add a good dose of prejudice, an even greater measure of fear, and establish my own religion.

If those guys in Rome could get away with it, so can I.

I will use people's disdain for Rome's historic abuses and claim to be THE ANTITHESIS: that they were wrong and MY RELIGION is the correct one.

Then I will BRAINWASH my followers with my doctrine".

The result has been 230 major disputatious denominations, each having many sub-groups, not to mention AN EVER GROWING NUMBER OF CULTS who no more teach the Word of God than I teach Mein Kampf.

All this coupled with the computer age has produced a lethal mix of religious deception which Jesus foresaw 2,000 years ago and pointedly warned would be the hallmark of our time (Matthew 24:4-8).

NOWHERE does the word of God say we are to INTERPRET IT.

Repeat: NOWHERE does the Word of God says we are TO INTERPRET IT with our corrupt, carnal minds which, as the anchor Scripture above says, IS ANTI-God and ANTI-Christ.

Our natural minds ARE IN ENMITY AGAINST God. They are AT WAR AGAINST God.

And you're going to TRUST THAT MANURE-FILLED CESSPOOL to tell you WHAT A HOLY, HOLY, HOLY God said and meant?

NOWHERE does the word of God authorize ANYONE TO CAPRICIOUSLY STATE "I think that means thus and so".

NOWHERE!!!NOWHERE does the Word of God authorize ANYONE (listen up, prophecy gurus) to say "I BELIEVE the Antichrist is alive", or "I BELIEVE he will sign a 7-year peace treaty with Israel" or "I BELIEVE we're headed for a cashless society" or "I BELIEVE there are NO SIGNS that precede the Rapture" or, for that matter "I BELIEVE"ANYTHING.

WHO CARES WHAT YOU BELIEVE?

The ONLY thing that matters isWHAT GOD SAYS.

Repeat: The ONLY Truth, and consequently, THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS, is WHAT GOD says. What you THINK, what you BELIEVE, YOUR OPINION or MINE, about any Bible related topic ARE IRRELEVANT and of NO USE TO ANYONE, let alone to the Kingdom of the Most High.

And if our beliefs CONTRADICT Scripture, as is often the case, particularly in the areas of Salvation and Bible prophecy, they ARE WORTHLESS ABOMINATIONS.

When we STUDY the Word of God, we are to regard it as what He is: HOLY.

We are to approach Him-it with GREAT RESPECT and REVERENCE.

We are to seek the Spirit of God WITHIN US, who INSPIRED that Word.

We are to ask Him to guide us and REVEAL TO US not what "we believe" He intended to say, but WHAT HE ACTUALLY MEANT.

We are to ALLOW HIM to unveil and UNFOLD the meaning of His HOLY Word to us.

We are to focus on Him - tell our carnal minds to SHUT UP, and LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT.

We are to have the attitude that Jesus exemplified in the Garden of Gethsemane:

NOT as I will, Father, but AS YOU WILL.

Those who approach God's Word with a PRECONCEIVED AGENDA, or some religious bias, are downright DISHONEST.

Truth is found ONLY when we're humbly WILLING to accept it,REGARDLESS of what He-it may be.

As long as we fail to realize this WE WILL LIVE IN DECEPTION, DECEIVING OTHERS AND BEING DECEIVED:

Ever "learning", but NEVER COMING TO the KNOWLEDGE OF the Truth.

God doesn't need "interpreters". He speaks VERY CLEARLY.

His Spirit will speak DIRECTLY and CLEARLY to your heart, if you ask Him, and then back it up SOLIDLY with His written Word.

What He needs is people who TOTALLY LOVE HIM and want THE Truth (Jesus) AT ALL COSTS and ABOVE ALL ELSE.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2013

BEFORE JEWS EXISTED

There were Jews BEFORE Jews even EXISTED.

Repeat: There were Jews BEFORE Jews even EXISTED.

What? I KNEW you were a false prophet!

Yeah, right.

Whether you're PHYSICAL or SPIRITUAL Jew, or both, this message will bless you.

The Bible is clear that the descendants of Abraham THRU Isaac and, later, thru Jacob, are God's CHOSEN people (Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2).

Although the term "Jew" is often applied to ANY physical descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, technically speaking, from a NATURAL standpoint, a Jew is a physical descendant of the tribe of Judah, whereas an Israelite is a physical descendant of ANY OF the 12 tribes.

However, BEFORE there was a nation named Israel, BEFORE Moses and the 10 Commandments, BEFORE Jacob's name was changed to Israel, BEFORE he had his 12 sons and one daughter, BEFORE the tribe of Judah came into being, BEFORE Abraham and Isaac were born, BEFORE THIS WORLD EXISTED, and BEFORE there was even ONE NATURAL JEW ON EARTH, there ALREADY WERE SPIRITUAL JEWS.

Ephesians 1:4:

"... He (God) CHOSE US (believers in Yeshua) in Him (Yeshua) BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, that we would be holy and BLAMELESS before Him in love".

God CHOSE US, who have come to trust the Jewish Messiah COMPLETELY for Salvation, BEFORE He even created the world, regardless of WHAT PHYSICAL ETHNICITY we manifest on the earth.

We were His CHOSEN before there were any CHOSEN (Jews) on earth, and before the earth even EXISTED.

God CHOSE US in HimBEFORE any of us had been born, before we even had a chance to act ugly or act righteously.

Which PROVES that WORKS (outward behavior, good or bad) HAVE NOTHING (repeat, HAVE NOTHING) to do with Salvation.

Which, in turn, PROVES beyond the shadow of a doubt that TRUE JEWS are not those who are PHYSICAL descendants of Abraham, but SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS of him who TRUSTED (had faith) in God and HIS FAITH (trust) was accounted to him FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Genesis 15:6).

Abraham did NOT trust his own works, or his religion, or HIS OWN "righteousness", or his torah keeping, since the torah had not even been given, or his physical circumcision, SINCE HE HAD NOT YET BEEN CIRCUMCISED.

He CHOSE US (made us SPIRITUAL Jews) and declared you and me RIGHTEOUS, in Yeshua, BEFORE HE EVEN CREATED THIS WORLD.

Glory to Him forever more!

How's THAT for ETERNAL SECURITY?

My dear Jewish brethren, who insist that the Messiah HAS NOT yet come, and that "in every generation there is at least ONE possible candidate to be the Messiah, but that the generation in which Messiah appears must MERIT him"... YOU WILL NEVER "MERIT" ANYTHING from God.

Or, if it makes you feel better: YOU WILL NEVER "MERIT" ANYTHING from G-d.

EVERYTHING G-d does is based on His GOODNESS, not OURS.

His GOODNESS CAN NEVER BE EARNED, DESERVED OR MERITED.

He BLESSED Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when THEY TRUSTED HIM. They put their FAITH (trust) in Him, PERIOD.

It COULDN'T POSSIBLY be through observing the Torah, since NO ONE EVEN KNEW WHAT THE TORAH WAS, as it had not yet been given.

It COULDN'T POSSIBLY have been that they somehow "MERITED" His favor, since Abraham was an IDOL WORSHIPER BEFORE G-d appeared to him, Isaac never did anything outstanding, and Jacob (Israel) was a conniving trickster who DECEIVED HIS OWN AGING FATHER and STOLE the birthright FROM HIS OWN BROTHER.

It was God's SOVEREIGN, unearned and UNDESERVED Goodness that led Him to LOVE YOU and CHOOSE YOU, DESPITE your forefathers' MANY shortcomings, His Name be ETERNALLY PRAISED (Deuteronomy 7;7;8; 9:6; Ezekiel 36:22) .

You DIDN'T "merit" ANYTHING. then, And YOU NEVER WILL.

The fact is the Messiah ALREADY APPEARED ONCE, died for YOUR SINS, rose from the dead, and WILL RETURN TO THE EARTH less than 4years from now.

You need to receive into your heart and TRUST G-d's Messiah Yeshua, WITH ALL YOUR HEART as did your forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Acts 2:36).

There is NO OTHER NAME and NO OTHER WAY whereby you can be saved (Acts 4:12).

As Rav Shaul so clearly said in Romans 2:28, 29:

"Forhe is not a Jew, who is one OUTWARDLY... But he is a Jew, who is one INWARDLY; and CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OF THE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT, and not in the flesh; whose praise is not of men, but of G-d".

FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2013

MORE POPE

If you’ve followed this ministry for any length of time, you probably already know these things.

Please remember that we get NEW READERS each and every day, including UNBELIEVERS and BRAND NEW CHRISTIANS WHO HAVEN’T HEARD THEM.

Feel free to skip the message, but we got a deluge of questions that I will try to answer here:

1. NO. The Pope ISN’T the Antichrist: Not the PRESENT Pope, nor ANY OTHER Pope.

2. NO. The Pope ISN’T the False Prophet.

For the BIBLICAL identity of the Antichrist (chapters 10-11) and False Prophet (chapters 6-7), click here: Each chapter takes TWO MINUTES to read. It’s not who you think.

3. THE ONLY REASON that St. Malachy’s prophecy may be of value to believers is because IT LINES UP WITH THE BIBLE in both content and -- extremely important -- TIMING.

If it didn’t, I would have dismissed it long ago, as we dismissed the Mayan calendar, Nostradamus, Pyramidology, planetary alignments, and other hoaxes.

4. You DON’T HAVE TO believe the prophecy.

We’re not pushing it down anyone’s throat, but merely answering the many questions that have come in.

If you think it’s wrong, or choose to ignore it, fine with us.

5. I have prayed and will be praying for the new Pope, and encourage all Catholic brothers and sisters to do so.

Let’s pray for him to REALLY KNOW Jesus, be led by His Spirit, and use his position to bring souls to salvation in what little time we have left on this earth.

He faces some ENORMOUS challenges and will need great wisdom and spiritual fortitude to address them.

6. Should Evangelicals even CARE what goes on in Roman Catholicism?

YES.

Like it or not, at one point in time ALL CHRISTIANS WERE ROMAN CATHOLIC.

That’s UNDISPUTED, HISTORIC FACT.

DESPITE Roman Catholicism’s history of excess, corruption, greed, intrigue, torture, bloodshed, secrecy, manipulation, and abuse of power, especially during the Middle Ages, Jesus has ALWAYS HAD a remnant who were faithful to Him, KNEW HIM, and for whom Jesus CAME ABOVE ALL ELSE.

One such Catholic was Francis of Assisi who both, tried to reform the Church as early as 1209, and 10 years later, even tried to put an end to the bloody and infamous Crusades.

In modern times, since the Second Vatican Council in 1962, the Church did begin to reform and, although there are still many TRADITIONAL Catholics, official Church doctrine TODAY lines up with the BASIC tenets of the Christian faith.

Yes, they have a lot of “extras” like medals, rosaries, candles, prayer cards, statues, veneration of saints, etc.

But IF ANY INDIVIDUAL is born-again, none of that will keep them from Salvation.

Jesus would be a very mediocre “Savior” (perish the very thought), if He could be evicted from our hearts by some beads, a piece of metal, plaster, plastic, wax, or paper.

Get over it, Evangelicals!

And stop living IN THE PAST.

Stop penalizing TODAY’s Catholics for what their ancestors’ ancestors’ ancestors did 500-1,600 years ago.

Like it or not, many of them are our brothers and sisters in the faith.

That means they need us and WE NEED THEM (1 Corinthians 12:15-23).

7. Do I still believe that St. Malachy’s prophecy is true?

What I believe is NOT IMPORTANT, WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS WHAT GOD SAYS.

You’re free to reach your own conclusion on that.

But since you asked, YES…

I haven’t seen or heard ANYTHING YET that makes me doubt its accuracy or its authenticity.

Please DO NOT send us links to articles or YouTube videos about this. All it does is clutter out mailbox. We do not have time to read or watch and they are instantly deleted.

I do my own research and form my own opinions, thank you very much.

I do so based ON THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, His Holy Spirit and my own knowledge of Catholicism, since I was raised in that religion.

I NEVER base beliefs on someone else's OPINION, unless that SOMEONE ELSE IS NAMED JESUS CHRIST. Thank you.

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013

NEW POPE

When the announcement came around 3 P.M. yesterday afternoon "habemus papam", I already knew what today's message would HAVE TO address.

I was hoping for a decision late in the week, which would give me a bit more time to reflect.

It's safe to say that most people were surprised at how quickly the election came, and also about who was chosen: former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina.

Every "insider report" that I had read pointed to a long, protracted, DIVIDED conclave where, in light of different ideologies within the College of Cardinals, and the many challenges facing the RCC, consensus would be hard to reach.

And Bergoglio, now Pope Francis I, was not on anyone's short list of papabilia (possible new Pope).

As for your questions:

Yes, I AM surprised at the election.

No, Pope Francis DOES NOT APPEAR IN ANY WAY, shape or form to fit the designation "Peter the Roman".

Does this prove Malachy's prophecy WRONG?

NOT YET.

As I've previously pointed out, Malachy's prophecy DOES NOT SAY that the FINAL LEADER of the Catholic Church will ADOPT THE NAME "Peter", let alone "Peter the Roman".

"Peter the Roman" is merely A DESCRIPTION, just like "religion destroyed" described Benedict XV, just like "of the half moon" described John Paul I, just like "of the solar eclipse" described John Paul II.

As I've also pointed out, Malachy's prophecy DOES NOT SAY that "Petrus Romanus" or "Peter the Roman" will even be ELECTED Pope.

So THINK, BEFORE you go on one of those stupid forums AND LIE, along with THE THOUSAND "EXPERTS" who don't have the slightest clue about ANYTHING and just SPEW RELIGIOUS DIARRHEA like they're in desperate need of spiritual Imodium A.D.

Malachy does say that "IN THE FINAL PERSECUTION OF the Holy Roman Church, there will sit Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep IN MANY TRIBULATIONS, and WHEN THESE THINGS ARE FINISHED, THE CITY OF SEVEN HILLS (i.e. Rome) WILL BE DESTROYED, AND THE TREMENDOUS JUDGE WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE. The End".

To my knowledge the RCC is NOT undergoing PERSECUTION... yet.

To my knowledge the world is NOT undergoing "MANY TRIBULATIONS"... yet.

We don't even know if this Pope is born-again or not.

We know he is the first Jesuit, as well as the first Latin American, ever to be elected.

Jesuits are an extremely disciplined religious order whose main focus is "evangelism", at least as they understand the term.

On a personal note, I like the fact he chose the name Francis I, after Francis of Assisi, who back in 1209 tried unsuccessfully to reform the Church, which at the time was almost entirely Roman Catholic.

One thing that impacted my spirit almost instantly, and that I find somewhat amusing, is how secular media IMMEDIATELY pounced on Malachy's prophecy to say that this "proves it wrong".I didn't see that kind of enthusiasm, OR VITRIOL, when the Mayan calendar's much ballyhooed "end of the world" was PROVEN a hoax last December.

Ironically, I DID SEE many in the media GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY to fabricate "excuses" for the PAGAN, SATANIC Mayan LIE. Although I do understand UNSAVED people breathing a "sigh of relief" that they won't have to face the judgment of God, AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING.

Actually, if you are simply one of those religious, but LOST, individuals who DELIGHTS in calling someone else "false prophet", YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO WAIT FOR THIS POPE to be elected.

You COULD HAVE called Malachy "false prophet" long ago, when Benedict XVI was elected.

After all, there's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Benedict that fits the description "glory of the olive".

Repeat: there's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about his predecessor, Benedict XVI, that fits the description "glory of the olive".

Well, didn't you say that it could mean the Rapture?

Yes, that was MY (to Jesus be all the glory) interpretation. I haven't heard that take on the designation "glory of the olive" from ANYONE ELSE.

The four interpretations offered by even the most devout Catholics were a) that it signified better relations with Israel (DIDN'T HAPPEN) b) that it meant reconciliation between the RCC and the Eastern Orthodox Church (DIDN'T HAPPEN) c) world peace (PLEASE!!!) and d) that it referred to the Benedictine order.

Problem is Joseph Ratzinger, who ADOPTED the name Benedict, HAS NEVER BELONGED to the Benedictine order, NOR to its sub-order sometimes referred to as "Olivetans".

SO IT DOESN'T FIT.

As Johnny C. famously said: "if it DON'T FIT, YOU MUST ACQUIT".

OR we must seek A BETTER INTERPRETATION that LINES UP WITH Scripture, WHICH (Jesus be praised) is what this humble servant did.

But Benedict is NO LONGER Pope...

True.

"Glory of the olive" could mean that the Church (olive) will be glorified (raptured) during his papacy, or WHILE BENEDICT IS STILL ALIVE.

Malachy DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY SAY that this designation will apply DURING HIS PONTIFICATE.

Remember that, UNLIKE MOST POPES who are succeeded by a new Pope ONLY AFTER THEY DIE, Benedict took the EXTREMELY UNUSUAL STEP OF RESIGNING WHILE IN OFFICE. He's old and frail, BUT STILL ALIVE.

So, I wouldn't be so quick to label Malachy a "false prophet" just yet.

Prophecy often has a way of SEEMING inaccurate, and then PROVING to be EXTREMELY ACCURATE in the end.

For instance, the Messiah HAD to be Jewish according to a number of prophecies (Psalm 2:6-7; Isaiah 9:6; Malachi 5:2), yet Hosea 11:1 predicted God would call His Son "out of Egypt".

I'm sure Hosea caught A LOT OF FLAK in his day for prophesying that:

"HOW can the Messiah COME FROM Egypt? We KNOW He must come from the lineage of King David who is Jewish!!!"

Again I remind everyone that Malachy has A TRACK RECORD, spanning some 800 years, of 265 ACCURATE, "HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD" descriptions.

DON'T BE SO QUICK to sling mud at the man.

One final thought:

Suppose that, in the end, Malachy IS PROVEN WRONG.

SO WHAT?

Do we base eschatology on Malachy?

NO, NO, NO, and NO.

What have I said STEADFASTLY since we posted Malachy's prophecy over three years ago?

That it should be CONSIDERED ONLY within the context of BIBLICAL prophecy.

That we DO NOT - DO NOT - DO NOT - base eschatology on Malachy BUT ON GOD'S HOLY INFALLIBLE WORD, the Bible. I have AT LEAST FOUR SCRIPTURE passages that indicate a Rapture SOONER rather than LATER (Psalm 102:16; Daniel 9:25; Matthew 24:4-8 and Luke 21:24-27).

So, whether Malachy, in the end, is right or wrong, that DOESN'T CHANGE SCRIPTURAL TRUTH ONE IOTA.

As for the media: prophecy is not, and has never been, their strong suit.

They better stick to what they do best: sensationalist gossip about Lindsay's most recent slide into substance abuse, or Kim's latest sexual exploits.

Where Bible prophecy is concerned secular media is BLINDER than a bat with cataracts.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

SWIFT MESSENGERS

In yesterday's message we established that the "woe" in Isaiah 18 is primarily directed at Syria.

The destruction of Damascus, predicted some 2,800 years ago in Isaiah chapter 17, has never taken place; hence its fulfillment is long overdue.

Isaiah 18:2 says about Syria:

"That sends messengers by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes on the waters, saying, Go, you swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning till now; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have divided".

"Vessels of BULRUSHES"? WHAT ON EARTH WAS ISAIAH TALKING ABOUT?

Keeping in mind that he wrote his prophecy about 2,800 years ago, we must ask "WHAT was he trying to describe?" "WHAT DO BULRUSHES RESEMBLE"? I've pasted a picture below. They resemble launched missiles.

This is precisely what takes place in Revelation 9:13, under the 6th trumpet:

Certain "messengers" are loosed, which end up destroying ONE THIRD OF MANKIND.

In Revelation 9:13-19, we get two very important additional details:

The messengers are located in the Euphrates area [v. 14].

The messengers are WEAPONS [v. 16].

Everyone knows Iraq under Saddam had WMD's. He used both chemical and biological weapons against the Iraqui Kurds BEFORE the American invasion.

As the American attack on Iraq started, those weapons mysteriously disappeared.

American troops searched for them far and wide and came up empty.

You won't hear this in any of the major networks, but there's evidence, and Israel knows this, that they were transported to Syria.

The Euphrates ALSO RUNS THRU SYRIA.

In Isaiah 18:2 we have a clear prophecy that Syria will launch such "messengers" during the tribulation.

In verses 5 and 6 we are told that they will cause widespread destruction:

"For before the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.

They shall be left together to the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer on them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter on them".

Syria will be the aggressor. Its capital, Damascus, will be destroyed in retaliation.

Lest you think I'm letting my imagination run wild, THERE'S A THIRD, VERY SIMILAR PROPHECY in Zechariah 5:1-11 which describes "the curse that goes forth over the face of the whole earth" killing LOTS of people as a "flying scroll" or megilah, which also resembles the shape of missiles. See picture below.

We know this is symbolic, since megilahs DON'T FLY. And, coincidence of coincidences, it also ties this "flying scroll" that brings a curse on ALL the earth to the land of Shinar (verse 11), which refers, yet again, to the area of the Euphrates in Syria and ancient Babylon.

The only question remaining is:

Who is the nation described as "scattered and peeled", "a people terrible from their beginning till now"; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have divided" that some of these "messengers" are sent to?

It sure sounds like the United States.

There's no doubt whatsoever that, by the time Antichrist rules the world, all the major powers that exist today, must have been decimated.

This, in turn, will create a power vacuum that the risen Antichrist will eagerly fill.

Revelation 9:18 clearly states that when these pre-programmed "messengers" are launched, the THIRD PART OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION WILL BE DESTROYED.

The U.S. population, presently around 300 million, which by then will be drastically reduced due to the Rapture, doesn't even come close to one-third of the world's population.

So, clearly, those "messengers" would have to inflict some SERIOUS DAMAGE on China and India, which together hold ABOUT 40% [nearly HALF] of the world's population, as well as on Russia.

There's no doubt that the U.S. will suffer serious damage, that it will cease to be a superpower, and that it will be ruled by Antichrist, just like the rest of the world [Revelation 13:7].

However, the U.S. will survive. In Isaiah 18:7 we read that this nation will bring presents to the Lord, to Mount Zion, during the Millennium.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013

THE U.S. AND CHAPTER 18

I'm not talking about bankruptcy. That's chapter 7. Although if economic indicators are anywhere near correct, we're not too far from that, either.

There are TWO chapters 18 in the Bible that are regularly misapplied to the United States: the first is ISAIAH 18, THE SECOND IS REVELATION 18.

The first one begins: "Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia".

Most English translations say "Ethiopia", but the original Hebrew says "Cush" and "Cush" has always been Iraq [Genesis 10:8-11].

This is further confirmed by the fact there are no notable rivers in Ethiopia, while Iraq boasts TWO major rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris, both of which are mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible.

Iraq and its rivers have always played a prominent role in Bible prophecy. Ethiopia hasn't.

Either way, the U.S. is not located anywhere "beyond" the rivers of either Ethiopiaor Iraq. Last time I checked there's the whole Atlantic Ocean, plus the rest of the African continent in between the two.

Who, then, is the nation "shadowing with wings"? It's Syria.

Syria IS just beneath the "rivers of Iraq" [Cush].

The expression "shadowing with wings" refers to Jordan. If you look at the shape of that country on a map it looks like a bird with two outstretched wings.

Matter of fact, the Bible makes reference to "the wings of Moab" [Jeremiah 48:9; Numbers 24:17].

For those who may be unfamiliar, ancient Moab is a significant part of modern Jordan.

This makes perfect sense, since the previous chapter [Isaiah 17] foretells the destruction of Damascus, which is Syria's capital.

Keep in mind the original text DID NOT contain chapter and verse divisions. Those were added MUCH LATER, at the discretion of the translators.

Hence, in the original text, what we presently call "chapters 17 and 18" was just one continuous, uninterrupted text.

The second chapter 18 [in Revelation] speaks of "mystery Babylon the great". This metaphoric title is neither referring to ancient Babylon, which lies in ruins and will remain that way, as Isaiah 13:19-22 predicted. Nor is it referring to the United States, or to New York City.

Revelation 17:18 UNDISPUTEDLY identifies Mystery Babylon as Rome. It's Rome that will be destroyed in one hour near the end of the tribulation.

The United States, as we have taught consistently, will be severely damaged and downgraded during the tribulation, BUT IT WILL SURVIVE.

Will New York City be destroyed? Probably.

I know of no scripture that specifically singles out the Big Apple, since neither the United States nor N.Y.C. existed at the time, but if enemies are going to attack any place in the U.S., as recent history painfully shows, it will be New York.

There is, however, one portion of Isaiah 18, which may have prophetic significance for the U.S.

We'll examine that in the next message.

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2013

WHAT BEING CHRISTIAN MEANS

For NO OTHER FOUNDATION can a man lay than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

I love to dig deeply into the Word of God and teach DEEP Truth. However, if we haven't got THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH RIGHT to begin with, it's all for naught.

What does being Christian REALLY MEAN? What does "receiving Christ into your heart" MEAN?

I'm going to share WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT IT in His written Word, NOT what some denomination teaches.

Galatians 1:8 says that IF ANYONE - even an angel from heaven - preaches ANOTHER "gospel" he, she, they or it is ANATHEMA, which means ACCURSED.

That includes ANY DENOMINATION - I don't care WHO founded it, I don't care WHO it was founded upon, or WHEN.

I don't care if 1,000 angels appeared to its founder at once singing the Hallelujah chorus.

Fact is, ALL "Christian" denominations - even the ones that teach enough Gospel to get people saved -were FOUNDED AND INVENTED BY MORTALS.

Jesus didn't invent ANY denomination. He founded NO denomination.

He gave us a Message called the Gospel or Good News about SALVATION based ON TRUST (faith) IN Him, and on a personal, intimate relationship WITH Him, PERIOD.

And, for the record, there is NO OTHER WAY to be saved (Acts 4:12).

I don't care what religion you belong to. I don't care what denomination you belong to. I don't care how many commandments you observe, I don't care how pious you claim to be. I don't care what day you congregate. And I don't care how many infidels you kill trying to "earn heaven", IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT JESUS LIVING INSIDE YOU, YOU'RE LOST AND GOING TO HELL (1 John 5:12).

"Receiving Jesus into your heart" means that you INVITE HIM to ENTER the INNERMOST RECESSES OF YOUR BEING.

It means that you receive Jesus as your ONLY God, Lord and Savior.

You give (surrender) yourself ENTIRELY TO HIM.

It also means that, FROM THAT MOMENT FORWARD, you accept THE PAYMENT IN FULL THAT HE MADE FOR EVERY ONE OF YOUR SINS ("past", present and "future") and TRUST 100% what HE DID (die on the cross, shed His Blood, rise from the dead) TO SAVE YOU (Romans 3:28; Titus 3:5).

You don't trust ANYTHINGELSE, OR ANYONE ELSE, TO SAVE YOU.

YOU DO NOT TRUST WHAT YOU DO, YOU TRUST WHAT HE DID, TO SAVE YOU.

THAT'S what it means.

THAT'S ALSO what "being Christian" means.

ANYTHING ELSE is COUNTERFEIT "Christianity".

ANYTHING ELSE IS FAKE.

ANYTHING ELSE is MERE RELIGION.

ANYTHING ELSE WON'T SAVE YOU.

When you INVITE Jesus to enter, and TRUST Him, He immediately puts His Divine (God) Nature and His Holy Spirit in you (2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Peter 1:4).

That EXPERIENCE is what makes us spiritually BORN-AGAIN (John 3:3-5).

ANYONE who does not have the Holy Spirit LIVING ON THE INSIDE, is NOT Christian, and has NOT given his/her heart to Jesus IN EARNEST (Romans 8:9).

While speaking in unknown tongues is good and desirable, people CAN have the Holy Spirit inside (BE SAVED) and NOT speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:13).

What about sins that I commit AFTER being saved?

They were already paid for AT CALVARY.

How can that be when Calvary happened 2,000 years ago and I sinned 10 minutes ago?

YOU became aware of that sin when you committed it. Jesus KNEW ABOUT IT BEFORE HE CREATED YOU AND ALREADY PAID FOR IT AND FORGAVE YOU FOR IT (Revelation 13:8).

Repent, and thank Him for His FREE FORGIVENESS (Grace) which NONE OF US IS WORTHY OF (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Then keep on truckin'.

But if I sin a lot don't I LOSE Salvation?

NO. Salvation is Jesus LIVING IN you.

If Jesus LIVES IN you, though His Holy Spirit, there's NO WAY you can be lost.

If you lost Salvation (Jesus) because of sin that would mean that your sin IS GREATER THAN JESUS, since it has the power to KICK HIM OUT of you.

NOTHING is greater than Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11).

Such teaching is AN ABOMINATION.

As Jesus Himself told me: "you can be an obedient son or a disobedient son, but you CANNOT UNSON yourself" (or UNDAUGHTER yourself).

Oh, I see... So once I receive Jesus as God and Savior I can SIN ALL I WANT, ON PURPOSE, and still be saved?

If you can do that WITHOUT YOUR CONSCIENCE BOTHERING YOU IN THE LEAST, you're NOT saved (Ephesians 4:30).

You need to go back and RE-INVITE JESUS to enter you and REALLY SURRENDER TO Him, AND REALLY MEAN IT.

BORN-AGAIN (REAL) Christians WANT TO OBEY Jesus and please their heavenly Father ALL THE TIME.

We may slip occasionally because of human frailty: because we still have unregenerate minds.

Our SPIRIT was born-again when we invited Jesus in, our minds and bodies have remained the same, and won't be TRANSFORMED UNTIL the Rapture, which is the visible appearing of Jesus to each of us resulting in our being caught up into the heavenly dimension (1 Corinthians 15:50-55).

UNTIL that happens, WE WILL ALL SIN from time to time (1 John 1:8).

WHAT WE DON'T DO is say "oh, gee, now that I'm saved, and since I can't lose Salvation, I'm going on a sinning spree: I'm going to INDULGE every CARNAL DESIRE, AS MUCH AND AS OFTEN AS I CAN, ON PURPOSE".

If you CAN DO THAT, WITHOUT your conscience bothering you, YOU ARE NOT SAVED.

Born again children of the Most High obey Him, NOT OUT OF FEAR OF "LOSING" Salvation, since He-it CANNOT be lost.

But we OBEY HIM OUT OF LOVE.

If you LOVE Jesus, as He Himself said, YOU WALK IN THE LOVE NATURE He put inside you and you HATE IT when you sin.

When you do sin: YOU TRUST JESUS AND REST IN THE COMPLETE ASSURANCE that that sin HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR, fully and completely.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 2013

NO CONVICTION

I wish someone took a survey of evangelicals and asked how many believed that keeping the 10 Commandments or doing "good deeds" play a role in their salvation.

I guarantee OVER 50% (probably a much higher percentage) would answer "yes".

Well, don't you believe the 10 Commandments are a good moral guide?

Sure.

But they play ZERO role in our salvation.

Likewise, good deeds and good behavior play ZERO role.

The reason SO MANY are confused is because hardly ANYONE in Christendom preaches a CLEAR Gospel of the Grace of God any more (Ephesians 2:8-9).

What most people hear on "Christian" TV and radio, what they read on the internet, or hear from the pulpit, is A MURKY, MIXED BAG of 80% condemnation and 20% Grace.

NO WONDER they're confused!!!

NO WONDER THEY DON'T HAVE DEEP-ROOTED CONVICTIONS ABOUT THEIR SALVATION.

No wonder their faith is hanging by a thread.

NO WONDER when some skeptic or unbeliever presents a challenge they DO NOT STAND THEIR GROUND.

They fold like a cheap tent, and quicker than Dennis Rodman can say "Kim Jung-Un".

They not only lack the knowledge to present a convincing argument, they don't have a DEEPLY HELD BELIEF in the Christian Message of Grace (the Gospel).

They, at some point, received Jesus as Lord, but THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, NOR DO THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY BELIEVE.

Their spiritual house is built not on the rock, not even on sand, but ON QUICKSAND.

All it takes is one puff of contrary doctrine, and they sink quicker than the Titanic.

Were it not for the Grace of God, they would have been swallowed up and asphyxiated by the predator infested religious swamp that surrounds them, long ago.

How can we CONVINCE OTHERS that ours is the TRUE FAITH and Jesus the TRUE Way of Salvation, when we are UNSURE of OUR OWN beliefs?

While the sheep are partly responsible for their own spiritual wellbeing, the lion's share of responsibility lies with the preachers, particularly the so-called "Christian leaders" of our time.

I have never bought the false notion that because someone stands behind a TV camera, mentions the Name of Jesus, and begs for money every day of the week and twice on Sunday, that makes them "leaders".

Leadership is NOT about media, nor is it about NUMBERS.

It's about A CLEAR MESSAGE, CLEAR VISION, AND CONVICTION.

If God were giving report cards to the "leaders" on "Christian TV" most of them would flunk, or barely get D's.

Make up your minds, "leaders".

There's ONLY ONE Gospel:

You can't tell the sheep something one day with regards to Salvation, and then tell them something else the next.

You can't tell them one day that they're saved by Grace, then put fear in their hearts that if they don't "tithe" they're "under a curse" and that God's favor (Grace) is NULLIFIED for lack of $$$.

That's AN ABOMINATION.

We will all soon stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

80% or more of the Church's "preaching" is worthless and about to go up in smoke.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2013

A PEEK INSIDE THE ARK

The Ark of the Covenant made by Moses and placed first in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple, was a replica of the Ark in heaven (Exodus 25:40; Revelation 11:19).

The Ark disappeared from the first temple shortly before the Babylonians destroyed it in 586 B.C.

There was NO ARK in the second temple.

The Ark's whereabouts are officially "unknown" to this day.

It contained three things inside (underneath the Mercy Seat):

1. The Torah 2. A pot of manna 3. The High Priest's (Aaron's) rod, which had budded (Hebrews 9:4).

These items were placed there at God's command (Exodus 16:32).

He was VERY EXPLICIT when He told Moses what to put inside and IN WHICH ORDER.

When religionists tell the story the emphasis is usually placed on the Torah.

Little or no attention (gee, I wonder why) is given to the manna or the High Priest's rod. What could possibly be THE MEANING?

What could these items, placed IN THAT PARTICULAR ORDER, SYMBOLIZE?WHAT ELSE, but what THE ENTIRE BIBLE IS ABOUT?

They represent God's plan of Redemption.

Redemption HAS NEVER BEEN, and WILL NEVER BE REALIZED THROUGH, THE TORAH.WHAT?I knew I didn't like you!!!

Yeah well, guess what?

I COULDN'T CARE LESS if anyone "likes me" or not.

If you visit this website, you're going to read THE TRUTH, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

And if you don't like THE TRUTH or me, nobody's forcing you to read this message.

These are my parting words for you:

"By the works of the Torah, SHALL NO ONE BE JUSTIFIED" (Galatians 2:16).

NO ONEINCLUDES YOU.

Is that CLEAR ENOUGH for your holier than thou CARNAL, religious head?

The Torah IS God's Law. However, it was followed by the Manna OR BREAD OF LIFE, symbolizing our wonderful, precious, HOLIEST, most Righteous, Lord Jesus Christ (John 6:30-32).

He compared Himself to Manna, and said that even as supernatural as it was, the Manna itself wasn't the real "bread from heaven" or the real "bread of Life", but Jesus is (John 6:48).

The Manna SYMBOLIZED JESUS our one and only Savior (Acts 4:12).

Jesus also happens to be our High Priest after the ETERNAL order of Melquisedec, or meleki tzedek, the King of Righteousness (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:21).

What might the budding rod represent?

The rod represents THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRITwhich Jesus would place INSIDE each born-again individual.

The Spirit, in turn, would sprout and produce the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Numbers 17:8).

Jesus promised to put His OWN DIVINE NATURE, HIS OWN HOLY Spirit IN US, and DID (John 14:26, Acts 2:4; 2 Peter 1:4).

He also promised that through His Spirit we WOULD YIELD "MUCH FRUIT" (John 15:8).

That's why NOTHING FULFILLS GOD'S LAW BUT JESUS, WHO IS LOVE PERSONIFIED, who PUTS HIS OWN SPIRIT AND RIGHTEOUS NATURE IN US, AND WHO PRODUCES IN US HIS INCORRUPTIBLE FRUIT (Romans 13:9-10; Ephesians 5:9).

Moreover, the law used to be our "enemy" in the sense that although it's GOOD AND HOLY we were UNABLE TO FULFILL IT.

So, as Paul points out in Romans 7:8-12, instead of giving us life, it would CONDEMN US AND KILL US.

The Ark with the Torah scroll inside SYMBOLIZES THAT GOD'S LAW IS NOW WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS, as He also promised He would do when He made a NEW covenant or NEW TESTAMENT with His people (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

But there's more...

The ORIGINAL Ark, the one in heaven, as well as other heavenly things, HAD TO BE PURIFIED WITH THE BLOOD OF JESUS (Hebrews 9:22-26).

That's why He entered the temple in heaven and TOOK HIS OWN BLOOD INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND PLACED IT ON THE ARK'S LID OR MERCY SEAT.

Since the Ark on earth was A COPY of the one in heaven...

And since the Ark in heaven HAD TO be purified with the Blood of the Lamb of God...

I guarantee that so was the earthly Ark.

According to the apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees 2:4-6, at God's command, Jeremiah HID the Ark before the Babylonians took Jerusalem.

And he said "...As for that place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy.

Then shall the Lord show them these things, and the glory of the Lord shall appear, and the cloud also"... (Apocrypha, 2 Maccabees 2:7-8).

After Jesus' Second Coming, when ALL 12 TRIBES are reunited in the Holy Land, Israelites will discover that the Ark made by Moses had remained in Israel all along.

And that the Blood that Jesus poured out, as the Passover Lamb of God IN ORDER TO SAVE THEM, 2,000 years ago, IS STILL SITTING UPON THE MERCY SEAT.

Glory to Jesus! Glory to Israel's Messiah! Glory to Israel's ONE and ONLY God!

FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2013

WILL THE HOLY SPIRIT BE REMOVED?

The standard teaching in prophecy circles is that the Holy Spirit is holding back the Antichrist, and that, when the Church is raptured, the Holy Spirit will be REMOVED from the earth thus allowing him to manifest.

That's what you get for listening to those who constantly say "I believe", instead of "God's Word says". The Bible SAYS NO SUCH THING. If the Spirit were removed, NO ONE would be saved during the tribulation [John 6:44; Revelation 20:4]. MANY will come to faith in Christ during the reign of Antichrist (Revelation 14:15-16; 15:2).

HOW ON EARTH do you "remove" the Holy Spirit? Last time I checked the Holy Spirit is God. God is OMNIPRESENT.

King David told us in Psalms 139:7, 8 that even if he were to make his bed IN HELL, the Spirit of God would still be there. Do you think the Holy Spirit was ABSENT from the earth until Pentecost? Of course not! He was around. He's ALWAYS been around (Genesis 1:2).

What happened on Pentecost 33 A.D. is He came to LIVE INSIDE those who received Jesus as their Lord, as Jesus had promised (John 16:13-14).

That STILL HAPPENS TODAY whenever a person is born-again.

The "he" that MUST be "taken out of the way" BEFORE Antichrist can show up is THE BODY OF CHRIST: "Let no one deceive you in any way, for it (in context, the Day of the Lord or tribulation) will not be UNLESS THE DEPARTURE COMES FIRST, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of destruction" (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The Church at Thessalonica was troubled that the Day of the Lord (tribulation) was about to begin (2 Thessalonians 2:2).

Paul said two things needed to happen PRIOR:

1. The Departure [Rapture] had to happen.

2. The identity of Antichrist had to be revealed (in context, to believers, since he was writing to the church at Thessalonica).

The Antichrist is revealed to believers BEFORE THEY DEPART. The Antichrist is revealed to the world (unbelievers) when he emerges, resurrected, from the bottomless pit, about 4 years prior to the Second Coming of Christ [Revelation 11:7; 17:8].

Paul was saying that as long as the Church is AROUND, and the identity of the Antichrist hasn't been revealed to the Church, the Day of the Lord (tribulation) cannot come.

THE ONLY THING hindering the Antichrist's appearance (2 Thessalonians 2:6) is the Body of Christ (Church) still being present on earth.

He cannot manifest in, or to the world, UNTIL The Departure of the Church takes place.

I am mindful that the King James and other versions render this passage as "a falling away". However, in the original Greek NOTHING is "falling away" from nowhere. The words ho apostasia literally mean "THE Departure".

Apostasia is derived from the Greek aphistemi which means to DEPART, LEAVE OR WITHDRAW ONESELF. But doesn't it mean to depart FROM THE FAITH?No, it means ONLY TO DEPART.

The only way it means to depart FROM THE FAITH is when it's SPECIFIED in the text that THE DEPARTURE is from the faith, as in 1 Timothy 4:1.

That's why verse 6 says "NOW YOU KNOW what restrains him"... He had just told them WHAT: the Departure of Christians. It's The Body of Christ that MUST BE removed (DEPART), and be "taken out of the way" before the Antichrist can appear.

It's ONLY AFTER we disappear, that Antichrist appears.

That's EXACTLY the correct meaning of this portion of scripture.

The Holy Spirit is God:

YOU CAN'T "remove God" or "take GOD out of the way"... EVER.

The Holy Spirit is PRESENT everywhere, ALL THE TIME, tribulation or no tribulation, antichrist or no antichrist.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013

TRIBULATION PROVISIONS

Questions often come in about the tribulation and what believers can do for their unsaved loved ones who may be left behind.

They range from leaving a stockpile of dried food or canned goods, first aid kits, underground shelters and gas masks, to leaving gold, silver, currency, to instructions (letters, books, CD's, DVD videos) on what to do and how to be saved.

I realize that those who think of the well-being of others are kind-hearted individuals who are genuinely concerned about their families, relatives, friends, etc. and want to alleviate the suffering they may have to endure.

I DO NOT QUESTION their MOTIVE in the least.

However, there's a PRACTICAL ASPECT to this, as well:

As far as leaving supplies (bottled water, water purification systems, canned goods, dry food, medicines, money, gold, silver, gas masks, special shelters, etc.), there's NO HARM in doing so. However, you should also know that THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES that ANY of it will reach your loved ones. It may or it may not. If you read the judgments mentioned in Revelation chapters 8 and 9 that will happen very soon after the Church is gone, a lot of stuff on this earth is going to be OBLITERATED or CONTAMINATED by them: We know that once we leave, ONE THIRD of the planet is burnt instantly, and ONE THIRD of the remaining population killed, and that much of the food and water will become contaminated (Revelation 8:7-10).

We know that major powers such as the U.S., U.K., Russia and China, although they will survive in some form, will be seriously damaged (Revelation 8:7; 9:18-21).

The Antichrist would not be able to rule the ENTIRE world if these nations still existed "as they are" today.

Therefore, seek God's guidance, and LISTEN TO His Spirit. If the Holy Spirit LEADS YOU to leave such provisions, BY ALL MEANS OBEY.

If YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE YOUR CHANCES, by all means do so, but there's NO WAY to ensure that they will ever be of use to anyone, including those for whom it is intended.

As far as EVANGELISM and leaving "Salvation" materials:

Again, if the Spirit leads you to leave a Bible, a New Testament, some pamphlet or short note, fine.

If you're going to "WARN THEM" about ANYTHING, warn them ABOUT TAKING THE MARK OF ANTICHRIST. Scriptures are CRYSTAL CLEAR that those who do will suffer ETERNAL TORMENT (Revelation 14:9-11).

However, I would NOT GO OVERBOARD, and leave anything too lengthy or elaborate.

I seriously doubt that ANYTHING you leave for salvation purposes, will top WHAT JESUS WILL DO. As I've taught many, many times:

EVERYONE ALIVE WHEN THE RAPTURE HAPPENS will have a chance to receive Jesus as Lord, EVEN IN THOSE FINAL MOMENTS OF the Church Age (Joel 2:28-32).

That is THE MAIN REASON WHY Jesus will give THE SIGNS of the sun turning black, the moon red as blood, huge number of stars falling, a mega quake that will relocate land masses, the sky split in the middle and rolling up on each side like a scroll, and Jesus Himself VISIBLY APPEARING in the clouds in power and great glory (Revelation 6:12-17; Matthew 24:29.

EVERYONE LIVING will have a chance to CALL ON HIM, even at that late hour, and be saved. Gosh, Martel, do you REALLY THINK those signs will happen? Forget what I think: GOD SAYS in at least 6 different Scriptures that they will (Isaiah 24:6,19-23; Joel 2:30-31, Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:25-26, Revelation 6:12-17).

Those SIGNS will be THE FINAL WARNING, the "last call" to people on earth to GET ON BOARD, receive Jesus into their hearts and be raptured, or stay behind and try to survive the tribulation. If you're NOT SAVED, I urge you to receive Christ into your heart NOW.Why shouldn't you wait until those final moments? Because THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT YOU'LL BE ALIVE in those final moments: You don't know whether you'll be alive in 5 seconds, let alone in one or several months:

Salvation is NOT PROMISED TO ANYONE "TOMORROW".TODAY is THE DAY of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

If THOSE AWESOME SUPERNATURAL SIGNS DON'T make unsaved people fall on their knees and cry out to Jesus for Salvation, I seriously doubt THAT ANYTHING you or I can say or "leave behind" will do the trick. God will also send A VISIBLE, AUDIBLE ANGEL flying through the sky and preaching the Eternal Gospel to EVERYONE ON EARTH, IN EVERY LANGUAGE, followed by ANOTHER ANGEL WARNING of the ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES of taking Antichrist's mark (Revelation 14:6-11).

If they don't heed the angels' messages, I seriously doubt your words or mine will convince anyone.

Noble sentiments aside:

If THE AFOREMENTIONED SIGNS, the resurrected Antichrist, the mark of the beast, the mandatory worship of Satan, the death of ONE THIRD of the earth's remaining population, and ALL THE OTHER SUPERNATURAL JUDGMENTS mentioned in Revelation chapter 8 and 9, DON'T PERSUADE THEM TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST, it's NO USE: THEY WILL BE LOST.ANYONE who receives the mark of the beast WILL BE ETERNALLY LOST (Revelation 14:9).

And there's NOTHING you, I, or anyone else can do about it. Bottom line: God gave man FREE WILL.

And man will get to exercise his free will UNTIL THE END OF TIME.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

IS OBEDIENCE WORTH IT?

A number of NEW Christians, and a few "old" ones, have asked me over the years whether obeying God is even worth the trouble.

Especially when the Bible teaches that Salvation is NOT contingent on works, it is simply RECEIVING JESUS INTO OUR HEARTS, HAVING HIM LIVE IN US, and TRUSTING Him (Ephesians 2:8,9).

The reasoning goes something like this:

"I try to obey God, live and act according to His Word (His Will), and EVERYTHING SEEMS TO GO WRONG.

Yet I see UNBELIEVERS who DISOBEY HIM CONSTANTLY, BREAK EVERY COMMANDMENT, DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES, ENGAGE IN ALL MANNER OF CARNAL EXCESS, and EVERYTHING seems to turn favorably for them.

All they touch turns to gold. They live without a care in the world".

Matter of fact, I've asked those same questions of God a few times in moments of utter frustration.

So, is it worth it? Why deprive ourselves of worldly pleasures, why exercise ANY constraint, especially since our Salvation is secure? Does God even CARE? Is there ANY justice? For starters, born again CHILDREN of the Most High don't obey Him OUT OF FEAR. We obey Him OUT OF LOVE.

Obeying Jesus and SERVING Him is NOT a chore, it's A PLEASURE. Contrary to 95% of teaching on Kristian TV, our obedience is not based ON GETTING earthly rewards. If earthly rewards come, praise Jesus for them. And if they DON'T, WE STILL PRAISE JESUS!!!

Those of us who HAVE the Spirit of God inside (if you DON'T, you're NOT saved, Romans 8:9) can't help ourselves because when we DISOBEY our Lord, when we act IN REBELLION to His expressed Will, OUR CONSCIENCE REPROVES US AND WE FEEL TERRIBLE UNTIL we repent and make things right.

Now that we've settled our part: WHAT ABOUT UNBELIEVERS?

Why is it that EVERYTHING seems golden for them and crummy for us?

I promise you that MOST unbelievers - in fact, THE VAST MAJORITY - live rotten lives in EVERY SENSE of the word. For the FEW who are in the limelight and SEEM to "have it good", like certain celebrities, ruthless tycoons, drug dealers, pimps, etc.

This is what psalmist Asaph, appointed by King David and definitely anointed and inspired by God, had to say in Psalm 73:

(I'm editing a bit for the sake of space and clarity)

The Wicked Prosper Only For a Time 3 "For I WAS ENVIOUS... when I saw THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED. 4 For there are NO PAINS in their death: but their strength is firm.

5 THEY ARE NOT IN TROUBLE AS OTHER MEN...

6 Therefore PRIDE SURROUNDS THEM as a chain; violence covers them as a garment.

7 Their eyes stand out WITH ABUNDANCE: THEY HAVE MORE THAN HEART COULD WISH. 8 THEY ARE CORRUPT, and SPEAK WICKEDLY...

9 They set THEIR MOUTH (speak) AGAINST THE HEAVENS, and their tongue walks through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return here: and WATERS OF A FULL CUP ARE WRUNG OUT TO THEM.

11 And they say, HOW DOES GOD KNOW? AND IS THERE KNOWLEDGE IN THE MOST HIGH? 12 Behold, THESE ARE THE UNGODLY, WHO PROSPER IN THE WORLD; THEY INCREASE IN RICHES. 13 Verily I HAVE CLEANSED MY HEART IN VAIN...

14 For ALL THE DAY LONG HAVE I BEEN PUMMELED, and chastened every morning...

16 When I TRIED TO UNDERSTAND THIS, IT WAS TOO PAINFUL FOR ME; 17 UNTIL I went into the sanctuary of God; THEN I UNDERSTOOD THEIR END. 18 Surely you did set them in slippery places: YOU CAST THEM DOWN INTO DESTRUCTION. 19 How THEY are brought into DESOLATION IN A MOMENT! They are UTTERLY CONSUMED WITH TERRORS.

20 As a dream when one awakes; so, O Lord, WHEN YOU AWAKE, YOU SHALL DESPISE THEIR IMAGE...

26 My flesh and my heart fails: but GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART, AND MY PORTION FOREVER. 27 For, lo, THEY THAT ARE FAR FROM YOU SHALL PERISH: YOU HAVE DESTROYED ALL THEM THAT GO AFTER IDOLS, DEPARTING FROM YOU. 28 But it is good for me TO DRAW NEAR TO God:I have PUT MY TRUST IN the Lord GOD, that I may declare all your works".

Bottom line if you're born-again is this:

Our INHERITANCE (Jesus Himself) and all the wealth, riches, splendor and pleasures your heart desires - even things which eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor entered your carnal imagination - ARE ETERNAL, which means NEVER ENDING.

THEIRS is temporary. How many "celebrities" seem to have it "great" one minute and end up broke, bankrupt, old, ugly and suicidal? Or with a bullet in their heads?

TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 2013

BLAME IT ON RIO

"Will not God GRANT JUSTICE to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He WILL SWIFTLY GRANT THEM JUSTICE.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?" (Luke 18:7-8) The past few years haven't been kind to televangelists, to put it mildly.

In 2010 a major player in the world of televangelism was sued for sexual harassment by several young men.

Eventually the suit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount - A FITTING END, when you consider that the "ministry" was ALL about $$$.

It culminated not in the televangelist's reprimand, apology, REFORM or repentance, but IN HIS TELEVISED CORONATION!!! If I haven't made you nauseous yet...

It was followed by disclosure of an extramarital affair by the head of one of the major Kristian cable networks.

That was followed by the arrest of ANOTHER prominent televangelist for allegedly grabbing his teen age daughter by the neck, choking her and leaving visible bruises.

All this while an on-going Senate investigation focused on 6 huge, highly visible GIVE TO GET, prosperity gospel "ministries", and while several high-profile televangelist marriages hit the rocks and ended in divorce amidst allegations of neglect, infidelity and even physical abuse.

Funny thing: the scandals that SHOCKED US in the 80's and brought down two MAJOR "ministries" at the time, today seem almost ordinary.

Nobody even bats an eye anymore. And their groupies for the most part remain BLINDLY LOYAL and keep sending their $$$ as if NOTHING had happened.

Moreover, the two aforementioned televangelists, who made their initial splash in the 80's, ARE BACK: and one of them in particular, WITH A VENGEANCE.

WHAT SORT OF IDIOTS would send money on a regular basis to support scam artists, PROVEN, CONVICTED FRAUDS, focused on building their OWN kingdoms instead of preaching the Kingdom of God? I don't know, but THEY ARE OUT THERE.

Otherwise, all these scammers would have been OUT OF BUSINESS LONG AGO.

Instead, they all live better than most Hollywood celebrities.

But the latest scandal rocking the televangelist world has to do with THE most renowned "faith healer" of our time and his recent "crusade" in Brazil.

It turns out that his son and two of his bodyguards (yes, I said BODYGUARDS!!!) were arrested for beating up a deaf and dumb man sitting in the front row, who simply tried to approach the famous televangelist and get his "blessing".

The 21 year old, deaf and dumb Brazilian national had a bottle of water in his hand as he tried to approach the Christian "celebrity"...

...THREE of the con artist's (ah, televangelist's) THUGS (excuse me, BODYGUARDS) had POUNCED ON HIM, dragged him to a nearby trailer and WERE BEATING HIM BLACK, BLUE, and BLOODY as they interrogated him.Since the deaf and dumb man could neither hear nor answer their interrogation, THEY JUST KEPT BEATING HIM: THREE against ONE. Imagine the level of violence and shouting when, even amidst the hype and noise of the "crusade", some people heard the commotion and alerted the authorities.

The televangelist's son and the other two thugs were arrested, taken into custody and eventually released.

The poor deaf and dumb man was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for multiple wounds and bruises.

Meanwhile, the televangelist and his merry band of hoodlums managed to get the poor guy's father to sign an agreement NOT TO press charges, in exchange for an undisclosed amount of $$$, all paid for by courtesy of your generous donations, thank you very much.

And so the world of televangelism turns...

Not to mention how our stomachs turn...

Needless to say, you won't find A WORD about such incident on the televangelist's website. On the contrary:

You will find NOTHING BUT PROPAGANDA about what enormous "success" the Brazil crusades were and how many reported "healings" were performed by this SUPER-ANOINTED RELIGIOUS HERO who needs bodyguards, and FEELS THREATENED not by swords or spears, not by guns or rifles, not by Roman soldiers, crucifixion or decapitation, but by A BOTTLE OF WATER. I'm just surprised the Evian people haven't jumped all over this one!

Billy Graham has probably preached worldwide, at least in modern times, to more people than anyone. I know Billy had a rather small team that traveled with him to handle certain logistical and administrative aspects of the meetings, but I can't remember him EVER being surrounded by a cadre of bodyguards. As I read the Gospels, Book of Acts, and Epistles, I can't find A SINGLE INSTANCE where Peter, John, Paul or any of the apostles went around surrounded by BODYGUARDS, can you?

Paul was beheaded; Peter (if you believe tradition) was crucified upside down, or if you believe recent archaeological evidence, died preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem, and John was exiled to a desolate, inhospitable penal colony on the island of Patmos.

Jesus walked around pressed by throngs seeking miracles, deliverance and healing, and He WAS APPROACHABLE (Matthew 20:31-34; Mark 10:16; Luke 8:40-45; John 3:1).

He could be reached, spoken to, and touched.

I can't find ONE instance where Peter, Andrew and Bartholomew took someone aside and BEAT HIM UP for trying to approach Jesus.

NOT to mention that Jesus' miracles were UNDENIABLE and REAL, NOT STAGED.

I think of Peter standing ALONE in Jerusalem among curious onlookers and boldly telling them "you killed the Author of Life" (Acts 3:13-15).

I think of Paul standing ALL ALONE in Athens and boldly proclaiming (paraphrasing) "you believe in all these false deities but I'm here to tell you about the TRUE God, the One you DON'T KNOW" (Acts 17:22-23).

I think of Jesus hanging on the cross, being mocked, insulted and falsely accused, PRAYING for the Father to forgive EVEN HIS EXECUTIONERS, when He could have called on the Father to give Him MORE THAN 12 legions of mighty angels who would have IN AN INSTANT destroyed those religious bastards who took pleasure in His death (Matthew 26:53)

But today's prima donna wimps who CLAIM TO BE His "ministers" live behind iron gates, with state of the art surveillance, barricaded in massive buildings, hiding behind TV sets and a small army of body guards, unapproachable and untouchable, and CONVENIENTLY INSULATED FROM the very people they claim to "serve".

Not to mention the very people WHO FINANCIALLYSUPPORT THEM. Most are cowardly frauds and A TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT to the Body of Christ. Jesus BETTER come soon, as He promised.

The faith He preached 2,000 years ago has degenerated into nothing more than A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.

And A SHADY ONE, at that.

MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013

UNLESS YOU BELIEVE

"If you DO NOT BELIEVE that I AM, you WILL DIE IN YOUR SINS" (John 8:24) The message of Jesus is Good News (Gospel) because He came TO SAVE (John 3:16-17).

Since ALL have sinned, there's NO BETTER NEWS anywhere.

BEFORE Jesus came, died on the cross, and rose physically from the dead, EVERY ONE OF US WAS ACCOUNTABLE FOR our own sins.

Hence, every one of us WAS CONDEMNED (John 3:18; 5:24).

Worse, since NONE OF US could fulfill God's Law, erase original sin, or renew the sinful nature we were born with, EVERYONE was lost. The Good News is this:

Jesus PAID FOREVERY ONE - yes, EVERY SINGLE ONE - of your sins.

Yes, EVEN THAT ONE. Since your sins ARE ALREADY PAID FOR, upon receiving the One who made PAYMENT IN FULL for them, YOUR SINS ARE IMMEDIATELY ERASED AND FORGOTTEN.

Never to be remembered or used against you, EVER.

Jesus HAS SAVED YOU FROM every one of your sins.

It's ENTIRELY UP TO YOU to acknowledge His payment for your sins, and receive Him, THE ONE AND ONLY SIN ERASER, into your heart, as Savior and God. Or you can IGNORE HIM and WHAT HE ALREADY DID ON YOUR BEHALF.

If you IGNORE Him, you'll have to PAY FOR YOUR OWN SINS YOURSELF. The choice is simple: Pay for sin YOURSELF, or TRUST His payment on your behalf, AND BE INSTANTLY SAVED AND CLEANSED. It's as true and as simple as THAT.

NO ONE can make that choice BUT YOU. It's YOUR CALL, YOUR CHOICE.

SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2013

THE BIBLE, TV AND HISTORY

Two events of possible interest to the Body of Christ are scheduled to take place today:

1. The premiere of History Channel's mini-series "The Bible" just in time for the Passover-Resurrection season.

2. The remarriage of televangelist Benny Hinn to his former wife.

If I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath on either one. Hollywood has a LONG HISTORY of unscriptural failures, most of them of BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS.

And Hinn's remarriage was supposed to have taken place last October and has already been postponed once, at the last minute. Let's talk about the mini-series first:

As most of the so-called "Bible based" stuff that Hollywood produces, it's bound to be a big, boring disappointment.

First of all, how can you EVEN PRETEND to deal with the ENTIRE Bible in a mere 10 episodes?

A LOT of important events are likely to be left out and/or not properly dealt with.

Secondly, if Hollywood's recent record on biblical epics is any indication, look for some HORRENDOUS casting, and cheesy OVERACTING.

The days of Ben Hur and the Ten Commandments are long gone.

Thirdly, the producers claim to have consulted "a team of theologians". I know of no better way to screw things up than consulting theologians, let alone A WHOLE TEAM.

Add ONE RABBI into the mix, as they did, and no telling what tainted and impotent religious mixture will result.

According to some reviews, there's also a lot of artistic license (embellishments NOT given in the Bible) and LOTS OF gratuitous violence.

Could I be wrong? Could this be THE EXCEPTION to previous attempts at presenting the Good Book?

Sure, but not likely.

I plan to watch as long as I can stand, which will probably not exceed 30 minutes.

Hinn's remarriage, on the other hand, promises to be highly entertaining, IF NOTHING ELSE.

Don't worry, though. You won't see it today.

In fact, you won't see it at all until they've edited the footage leaving ONLY the portions they want you to see on "ThisISN'T YOUR Day, Suckers, it's MY Day".

Talk about a circus... The ceremony is supposed to be performed by THREE different ministers: Rev. Jack Hayford, Reinhard Bonnke and the bride's father who claims to be a pastor.

If he is, I can think of at least ONE sheep that he should go after and bring back into the fold.

In case you're wondering, Paula White WON'T BE among the three...

Don't expect she'll be attending the wedding, either.

In fact, don't expect she'll be ANYWHERE NEAR...

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when that prenup was signed, though.

Who knows? Maybe Hinn's ex and soon-to-be "next" is smarter than I give her credit for...

Hinn's reportedly worth about 30 million. How's THAT for a little uneducated Palestinian boy who started from scratch?

It speaks volumes about American evangelical generosity AND NAIVETÉ.

For the Hinns' sake, let's hope the second time's the charm.

And for Hollywood's sake, and ours, let's hope it's the UMPTEENTH TIME.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2013

NEW JERUSALEM

The Bible refers to New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, as "the mother of us all" [Galatians 4:26].

"Us all" refers to born-again believers in Jesus Christ.

To enter New Jerusalem you MUST BE BORN AGAIN (John 3:3-5).

A former idol worshiper named Abraham set out in search of that city some 4,000 years ago.

He left his hometown, his family, and nearly everything, looking for that city "whose builder and maker is God" [Hebrews 11:10,16].

Sadly, not all of Abraham's descendants will enter that beautiful city. Many of them, particularly those who descend from THE SLAVE Hagar, either physically or SPIRITUALLY [those who want to live AS SLAVES in bondage to law, commandments and units of time], will never make it. All citizens of New Jerusalem are free.

They'll live forever in the FREEDOM OF THE SPIRIT.

There's NO BONDAGE whatsoever in New Jerusalem.

That means THERE'S NO RELIGION WHATSOEVER in New Jerusalem, since the very word "religion" MEANS "bondage".

It's also described as having the glory of God, her light clear as crystal, like the most precious of gems, having 12 gates of pearl, with foundations made of precious stones, paved with translucent gold, and having no need of sun or moon, because Jesus is THE LIGHT thereof. As breathtakingly lovely and wonderful as that sounds, its BIGGEST ATTRACTION, THE PRINCIPAL REASON FOR US WANTING TO GO THERE, IS JESUS.

Although as God He is OMNIPRESENT, New Jerusalem is His official residence.

He is its light, His Throne shall be there, and everyone and everything in New Jerusalem will be FOCUSED ON HIM. We shall enjoy His Presence. We shall see His Face.

WHAT could ever be lovelier than THAT ?

FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2013

FIND HIS VOICE

Too often servants (ministers) of the Gospel preach or teach with our own voices, from our carnal minds.

For one thing, that's what is taught in Christian seminaries:

That messages should be prepared A WEEK IN ADVANCE.

[A DIRECT CONTRADICTION of Mark 13:11, where Jesus SPECIFICALLY COMMANDS the disciples to "take NO THOUGHT BEFOREHAND", and to speak "whatsoever is given you at that moment, BECAUSE IT'S NOT YOU THAT SPEAKS, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT"]. That we're to select an appropriate, religiously correct topic, a scripture text that supports it, and then develop three "sub points", embellished with a few SUPPOSED "real life" stories and Bible verses.

I'll tell you a little "secret"... 90% of the "stories" are FABRICATED.

Never happened!

Are you telling us that ministers of the Gospel regularly lie? ... Even WHEN THEY ARE PREACHING? Don't tempt me...

I just love it when some preacher says "this is a TRUE story". Why would anyone say THAT, unless they tell FALSE STORIES? My point is, all that GARBAGE is MAN INVENTED. NOTHING in the Bible teaches we are to follow those confining procedures. There are even books on the market offering 200 or 300 of the greatest sermons ever preached, THAT YOU CAN COPY, AND RECITE VERBATIM!

What's wrong with "copying" some of the great preachers of the past?

Nothing, except when Wesley, Wycliffe, Spurgeon, or Tyndale, delivered those messages they were ANOINTED. That's why people came to Christ in droves.

If the Spirit is NOT IN as well as BEHIND the preacher, it's mostly empty rhetoric.

No wonder people fall asleep during sermons. No wonder most preaching is so insipid and sterile. No wonder the church suffers from ACUTE spiritual malnutrition.

The apostle Peter tells us we are to speak "the oracles of God", not MIMIC some boring religious method learned in seminary (1 Peter 4:11).